Mark gains a new volunteering lease of life
Volunteer Mark Williams loves to ‘give something back’ – and taking 10,000-plus steps per day as a response volunteer means he’s giving with both feet.
Mark, 62, has been assigned to the Pharmacy at Hillingdon for the last six months or so, getting medicines for patients awaiting discharge home or to onward care. However, his response role means he often has been asked to fill in wherever needed.
He says: “I’m finding this is the most rewarding of the numerous volunteer jobs I’ve done around the hospital.
“Doing 28 packages of medications to take home in three hours means that 28 people are able to go home more quickly than they otherwise would, and that’s fantastic.
“The happiness it brings people and the look on their face when they know they are going home is wonderful to see. "
“I really like doing this because I have been on the other side of it.”
Mark was a patient at the hospital during 2021-22 as a colon cancer patient, and as well as paying warm tributes to the entire team who took care of him, he also wants to thank them by doing his bit as a member of our Trust’s thriving volunteer team.
“It’s just my way of giving a bit back, and as well as that, it’s good for me. It’s good exercise, it does my mental health good to know I’m doing something valuable and I get to help the people in the same position I was a little while ago.”
Mark has no plans to stop volunteering any time soon. His cancer care continues through regular check-ups, and he’ll soon have to juggle work and volunteering as he returns to full-time employment for a short time with medical waste management company Medisort, who he thanks for their support for his wish to volunteer.
However, when he’s retired some time in 2024 he’ll be back, and he encourages anyone considering volunteering, no matter how many hours per week, to get in touch with the Volunteer Team and find out more.
“It might be the best move you ever make,” he said, as he dashed off to pharmacy for another order.
If you know of anyone - friend, family or contact – who you think might make a good volunteer, please share this item with them. They can contact our volunteer service manager, Thais Curia, on thais.curia@nhs.net