Why we were all inspired to help
DON’T STOP NOW — TO JOIN, GO TO: hospitalhelpforce.com (and why not tell all of your friends and family too)
MORE than 19,000 selfless Daily Mail readers have responded to our call for hospital volunteers. Here, three reveal why they want to give up their free time to help:
THE PARAMEDIC WHO WANTS TO DO MORE
Sophie Piper, 28, a paramedic for West Midlands Ambulance Service, said: ‘I might be a strange candidate to volunteer when I already work long hours for the NHS, but as I work two days and two nights a week I effectively have four days off a week too when I could help. My partner told me I might as well do overtime, but I wanted to make a different sort of impact.’
Miss Piper, who lives in Swadlincote, Derbyshire, with her fiancé, John, 33, an HGV driver, added: ‘My mother is undergoing chemotherapy for stage-four breast cancer, so I know what an extra pair of hands could achieve. She often has to wait for ages for her drugs. If a volunteer could take pressure off nurses things like that could be done more quickly.
‘As a paramedic, I also see first-hand people’s impression of the service. An elderly woman I attended recently was having a heart attack, yet was adamant she didn’t want to go to hospital because she had had such a bad experience the last time. We managed to persuade her, but it wasn’t easy.
‘On the whole, the NHS is brilliant. Of course it’s overstretched and there’s too much demand on every aspect, but it’s also still free. People often forget that.
‘This is an excellent campaign and a great opportunity for young people to gain experience if they want to go into hospitals or care work. It helps everyone.
‘Hopefully I’ll be good at speaking to the elderly or cheering up children after their parents have gone home – anything to give people a break.’
HEART PATIENT KEEN TO GIVE SOMETHING BACK
Howard Davies, 75, a locksmith who lives in High Wycombe, Buckinghamshire, said: ‘ Three months ago I suffered a heart attack and the NHS were fantastic.
‘I was at home on my own at the time. It felt like somebody was pushing the centre of my chest and I suddenly felt quite cold. I recognised the symptoms and dialled 999 and the ambulance came quickly and I was taken to Wexham Park Hospital where four stents were inserted into my heart while I was awake.
‘Half the arteries in my heart were blocked. I was very lucky.’
The father-of-two, who has one grandchild and one great-grandchild, added: ‘ I’m still having treatment – cardiac rehab to try and make me a bit fitter than I was before – but I felt perfectly fit and healthy both before and after and it remains the only time I have ever really had to use the NHS for something serious. It made me think that at my time of life, I work but am selfemployed, I can afford to offer some of my time, to give something back.
‘The NHS is a wonderful, wonderful institution and I have put my money in all my life.
‘I think it’s a must-keep and there are people around who could give time.
‘ My skills are probably peoplefacing, but I’m interesting in helping anyone in any way I can.’
WIDOW REPAYING NHS KINDNESS
Judith Ayres, 75, a retired receptionist from Torquay, Devon, with two daughters and three granddaughters, said: ‘Since my husband John, a retired college lecturer, died in February aged 76 I’ve felt very, very lonely.
‘The only way to keep myself going is to stay busy, and volunteering is an excellent way of doing that. I also want to give something back to the NHS, who are amazing. I’ve been trying to cope with John’s death, but it came out of the blue.
‘He wasn’t ill – it was a sudden problem with his heart. I called the paramedics and an ambulance arrived within minutes.
‘They were such lovely people and, although they weren’t able to save him, they really looked after me. It was their kindness that was most striking.
‘Before that, I’d had operations at Torbay hospital. They’ve fixed a broken wrist and removed my cataracts. The people are fabulous. I just love the NHS. To be able to help them in any capacity would be wonderful and make me feel as though I’m being useful.
‘I like meeting people and chatting. I’ll be happy speaking to patients, picking up prescriptions or just showing people around. I don’t mind what I do!
‘My daughter works for Southmead Hospital Charity in Bristol and tells me how essential the volunteers are to the work they and the nurses do. John would have loved me doing this, I know he would have been delighted.’