Making a difference at Christmas
Every year, many people selflessly give up their Christmas Day to help others. We meet two amazing ladies who do just that to help Marie Curie patients
Christmas is a time for making precious memories with our nearest and dearest. And that’s never truer than when a loved one is sadly living with a terminal illness. That’s why Chris Smart and Linda Leano sacrifice Christmas Day with their own family to help in their local Marie Curie hospice, creating a special Christmas for families facing what may be their last one together. Just two of hundreds of people who volunteer and work for Marie Curie on Christmas Day, Linda and Chris say it’s a privilege to help. “I’d been thinking for a while I wanted to volunteer as I don’t have any children and it’s a case of giving back and donating my skills,” says Chris (61). Having worked in secretarial and eventually HR roles in her career, Chris volunteered to work on reception of her hospice and on Christmas Day 2006, she had her first-ever festive shift. “I was very nervous about working on Christmas Day because there weren’t all the usual people around to help me in the office.” Nevertheless, she soon found the experience of meeting and greeting relatives coming to visit their families in the hospice very rewarding. “It’s such a happy place to be on Christmas Day. The tree is wonderful, we have the works up in terms of
‘I get immense satisfaction that I am doing something that counts’
decorations and I meet so many people coming in to see their loved ones. They often bring children who love to show me their toys and last year Father Christmas turned up quite unexpectedly which was nice.” An important part of Chris’ role on Christmas Day is also to manage the phone switchboard where medical staff call in to speak to the Marie Curie nurses, or relatives who cannot make it to the hospice ask to speak to their loved ones. “I hope, for people who are often going through quite a difficult time, that it’s nice for them to hear a friendly voice at the end of the phone.” As for her own family, Chris says they’ve been wholly supportive of her decision to volunteer at the hospice on Christmas Day. “My husband and mum say they’re proud of me. My husband is a shift worker so sometimes he’s working over Christmas, too, so if he is we just have Christmas another day or if he isn’t, he’ll get Christmas dinner on the table for me when I get back. I don’t feel like we’re missing out at all. “I get immense satisfaction that I am doing something that counts and I’m looking forward to volunteering again this Christmas Day.”