Angie Sherrill works for Children’s Hospital of Alabama. But before that she volunteered.

She had a reason.

In 1991 Sherrill learned she was pregnant with her and her husband’s first child. Two days later, though, the couple was in Birmingham at the Children’s Hospital because there were complications, said doctors. Sherrill’s unborn son would require treatment, even in the womb, and even more treatment after he was born.

The treatment, however, was not enough. Sherill said her son died in 1995.

But because medical staff in Birmingham had showed so much attention, compassion and love to her and her family, Sherill said she had to become involved in some fashion with the Children’s Hospital, one of the 10th busiest pediatric hospitals in the country according to its website.

Sherill spoke to Greenville Kiwanis members on Tuesday. Kiwanis is one of the biggest supporters of the Children’s Hospital.

What spurred her to volunteer was when she’d called the hospital to make payments on the medical bills that had accrued during her son’s treatment; treatment that was uninsured said Sherrill.

“We wanted to start paying, but we were told, ‘Ma’am, it’s been taken care of,” she recalled. “I kept asking for them to send me a bill, but they kept saying, ‘it’s been taken care of…it’s been taken care of.’ From that day forward I couldn’t volunteer enough. This type of care is available to every child in the state.”

Sherrill, who now works as community outreach coordinator for the hospital, said Children’s Hospital remains non-profit and dedicated to helping Alabama’s children.

“We see every kid based on need and not their ability to pay,” said Sherrill.

Sherill said. “If you ever have a chance to visit the hospital it is truly a humbling experience.”

Sherill said the hospital saw over 600,000 in-patient and out-patient children last year alone, including 670 visits from children in Butler County. The hospital’s 275 beds are almost always occupied, she said. The hospital recently broke ground on a new facility in order to better serve Alabama’s children in the future.