About Sue
Sue volunteers her presence, care, and assistance within a palliative care community setting. As a companion, Sue visits with those experiencing a life limiting illness in their homes providing a welcome change of conversation for both patients and families alike. Sue’s family are very supportive of her volunteering role and the meaning it brings to her life.
Q&A Interview:
Disclaimer: The views expressed are the opinions and thoughts of our interviewees, reflecting on their own experiences and views.
I decided to volunteer with palliative care clients after looking after a couple of family members who died from cancer. I saw firsthand the importance of supporting people who have been given a life limiting diagnosis.
I also wanted to face my fears of interacting with people who are dying, having chemotherapy, or going through a degenerative disease.
I saw an advertisement in the Messenger Press asking for people to volunteer in palliative care and thought this is my chance to be helpful and get out of my comfort zone!
By the time the client gets to having a volunteer to assist to them, they have worked through a lot of issues and are thankful to have someone to talk to, other than family. For someone to assist them and be a friend. The client likes to interact with someone other than a health professional or family member. I am regularly told by the client that they really appreciate my visits and assistance. This is very encouraging.
The volunteer is another person to help share the load for family in caring for the client. The volunteer can provide a listening ear or sounding board for the client and the carer.
I have a Community Team leader who I can discuss issues or situations with, as well as the Volunteer Manager and of course fellow community volunteers. My family are very supportive of my volunteering role.
I would like to see feedback from families or clients communicated broadly and about their experiences with community-based volunteers. This feedback would be good to show clients or families thinking about having a volunteer visit, to highlight the benefit that community volunteers provide.
You can make a genuine difference to the lives of the people you meet whilst volunteering. The clients appreciate you spending time with them and supporting them, and you do it for free! Because you want to, you are there by choice.
I would also say, to always remember that palliative care volunteering is about the client and what they need and what they are experiencing, not about the volunteer.
