Diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) are critical to fulfilling our mission—both in how we serve patients and interact with one another. It encompasses how we support an environment where everyone feels valued, respected, and included.
Christopher Budd, who is hard of hearing, is a culinary associate II at Kettering Health Main Campus. We spoke with him to understand some of his story and how to be more inclusive of the deaf community.
The conversation was interpreted by Macy Newell of Interpreters of the Deaf in Dayton.
Tell us a little about yourself.
“I am hard of hearing, and I have been my entire life. I started working at the hospital in 1997. I’ve been working here ever since. I take care of making food and making sure everyone gets fed who needs to be.”
What are some of the professional challenges you’ve faced as someone who’s hard of hearing?
“I’m a very hard worker. I pretty much keep to myself, but I’m the only person that works quietly and does my job—everyone else is talking and communicating constantly. I can hear background noise, so I know people are talking. I’m just not sure what they’re saying.
“So, I have experienced the feeling of isolation and being left out of conversations. I think that has made my life, and honestly my job, a lot harder. COVID-19 was significantly worse. Communication was worse. I would constantly have to ask people to pull their mask down so I could try to read their lips.”
You used that as an opportunity to ask for support. And Kettering Health instituted an interpreter for all your meetings. How do you feel having addressed a serious challenge and been part of the solution?
“I was extremely impressed. Every single meeting that I attend, I now have an interpreter. It has really helped me with not only communication, but also understanding clearly what’s going on. In all honesty, prior to having an interpreter at those meetings, I would sit there, and everything was just kind of going over my head. But at this point I feel like I’m a part of the team due to that communication.
“Honestly, I couldn’t be happier with that, and I’m just very impressed with the people who helped make it possible.”
Do you have tips people can use to help you and other individuals who are hard of hearing feel more included?
“The best course of action is definitely providing an interpreter. I feel that way everyone can clearly understand each other. Writing back and forth can work, but I feel like it can be difficult to understand each other. With writing back and forth, I also think there needs to be a willingness on hearing-individuals’ part to be able to stand there and write back and forth with me.”
Christopher’s perspective provides important insight to best support our staff as well as our patients and their families.
Supporting DEI at Kettering Health
Find events, educational resources, and volunteer opportunities in the monthly all-employee DEI e-newsletter.