Volunteers

It’s Therapy Dog Awareness Month, a time to pay tribute to all the canine companions who provide comfort and therapeutic support to those whose lives are often compromised by emotional, physical or mental disorders. At Calvary, we’re honoured to be able to provide this support to our patients, residents and clients

Its not often you get to celebrate your 21st birthday with a vice-regal reception at Government House but that was the case this week for the dedicated volunteers at Calvary’s Lenah Valley and St John’s hospitals. About 70 of the volunteers celebrated in style when they met with the Governor

Mike is a well beloved and well thought of Volunteer who is highly appreciated by both staff and patients. I started volunteering in 2006 after caring for my father in his last days and when both my wife and I retired.  We needed some structure and variety in our lives

In 2019, I became a volunteer at Calvary Health Care Kogarah, as I was interested in being part of a palliative care biography service to document patients’ stories. I remember how caring and supportive the palliative care team were who cared for my wife before she passed away in 1998.

I have been volunteering at Bethlehem’s Day Centre for seven years. The Day Centre is part of our Community Palliative Care Service, which supports patients and their carers in their own homes and communities. During the COVID-19 pandemic we have been getting together on Zoom twice a week to chat,

The Spirit of Calvary in action Our thanks to Barb and other volunteers for your generosity and resilience especially during these past two years during COVID-19. You truly demonstrate the Spirit of Calvary. Meet Barb Phillips – winner of the Calvary Hobart Spirit of Calvary award in 2018. Working from

Volunteering at Calvary Hospital Kogarah has been an incredible journey. It is without a doubt one of the most insightful experiences I have experienced throughout my life. I started my volunteer work in June 2018 assisting the physiotherapists in the Palliative Care gym. From the very first moment I walked

Before I retired, I decided that I would volunteer time to an organisation that worked in direct contact with people; one that offered services to people who needed help to continue to live their lives to the fullest extent possible, to the very end of their lives. In researching organisations

I worked for many years in the public health system both in hospitals and community settings. One of the things I enjoyed most was visiting people in their homes. This constantly reminded me that I was dealing with a person not just an illness. When I was looking for some

Ruth started volunteering in April 2017 in the Calvary ACT Bruce Public Hospital’s Emergency Department, providing support and comfort to patients and their families. She then started volunteering for the Sunflower Program, chatting to patients with Dementia about the interests, hobbies, background, likes and dislikes. This information is then used

Heather is an Administration volunteer at Calvary John James Hospital ACT who spends her time either at our Front Reception or in the Maternity Ward helping patients and family members.  Heather has a wicked sense of humour and brings a smile to all who come in contact with her, enjoying

Howard is a Eucharist volunteer, offering a communion service for patients on request.  Howard has been with us at Calvary John James Hospital ACT since 2017, meeting patients “where they are at” and with humility.  Thank you Howard for ‘being for others’ and providing our patients with a beautiful moment

Amelia has been a volunteer at Calvary John James Hospital ACT since March 2018. She was previously a volunteer in Singapore assisting students at university.  She brings with her a quiet and steady demeanour and is a highly valued member of our team in Medical Records where she volunteers at

Josie is an inspiration for us. Josie is a founding member of the ACT Calvary Public Hospital Bruce Auxiliary, who have raised more than $1,000,000 to support patient care  and are this year celebrating their 40th year. The Auxiliary was established when the Hospital opened in 1975. Today the Auxiliary

I have been volunteering every Monday and Tuesday with Calvary for 17 years and enjoy it so much, I would volunteer everyday if I could.  I have the pleasure of meeting so many different people – volunteers, patients and staff. Part of my role is transporting patients to appointments and

Our patient Ray was delighted to receive a visit from Brandi during her first day as a new pet therapy volunteer. Dogs have always been part of Ray’s life, and after being in hospital for a week, he was overjoyed to spend some time with another furry friend. Brandi now

I have been a volunteer at Calvary North Adelaide Hospital since June 2004. My main aim is to help the nurses on St Catherine’s ward get on with their main job of looking after the patients, which they do brilliantly. So I help out by checking patient supplies and restocking

Hiacinta, one of our Mission Volunteers, takes so much pride and care in her role in the Chapel at Calvary North Adelaide Hospital. Hiacinta comes in once a week to help set up the chapel for mass. “Hiacinta is a beautiful expression of humility in the work she does in

Recently, our patients in Jay and Lyon wards were visited by the newest members of our volunteer service at Calvary Wakefield Hospital – Friday, a highly trained Labrador and Poppy, her volunteer handler. There is a great deal of evidence that pets promote improvement in human physical, social, emotional and

I am a new volunteer, having started at Calvary Kogarah hospital’s Palliative Care in February of this year. As a newly qualified Counsellor with massage therapy training, I currently sit with patients on the palliative care ward and offer hand/foot massages and the option to talk about anything that might

After I have been with my patients for some time we know each other very well. I do all I can to lift their spirit as well as listen to their cares and worries. We usually talk first about what might be troubling them and then they often ask “What

David Brown has volunteered with Calvary Health Care Bethlehem hospital in Melbourne for more than five years. David volunteers at the Community Palliative Care Day Centre every Wednesday and assists patients and Music therapists with their Music Therapy sessions. How did you come to volunteer at Bethlehem? I was interested

Bronwen Coleman has been volunteering at Calvary Health Care Bethlehem hospital (Bethlehem) in Melbourne for the last 6 months. Bronwen is a trained actor who worked in film and TV in New York for 13 years appearing in Law and Order; and In the Academy award winning film Capote with

Jim volunteers as a patient driver at Calvary Health Care Bethlehem hospital. Bethlehem provides palliative care and specialist care for those with progressive neurological disease.   What do you enjoy most about being a volunteer? What I enjoy most is the interaction with patients and their carers learning about their

Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital   At Calvary Mater Newcastle I… Volunteer in the Day Treatment Centre where people have chemotherapy. I do whatever needs to be done, some office work, talking with patients and carers. I wanted to become a volunteer because… I’ve always been interested in the medical field but it

Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital   At Calvary Mater Newcastle I… Work in 5B the oncology ward one day a week where I help to make beds, empty the linen trolley, talk to patients who are able, restock the stores. I also do one day a week in the Melanoma Unit. There

Calvary Mater Newcastle Hospital   At Calvary Mater Newcastle I… volunteer as part of the auxiliary. Each week, sometimes twice a week I work at the lolly table selling sweets, homemade pickles and jams to visitors and the staff. Each month I also come in for the lolly packing days. I

Calvary Central Districts Hospital   This year is Maureen’s 32nd year volunteering at Calvary Central Districts. I come in once a week, and currently, my role is to assist with collating information packs for patients. (Maureen catches two buses to do this! ) I started volunteering after visiting my father

Calvary North Adelaide Hospital   For the past 18 months, I have had the privilege to be the coordinator of this program. The service was established here in Calvary North Adelaide Hospital ten years ago and created an excellent ground on which to build the future of the service. My

Adelaide Hospitals Mission Team   I volunteer doing administration for the Adelaide Hospitals Mission Team. I help with lots of tasks including scanning projects, filing and mail outs. I often work alongside Lauren the Mission resource officer. She helps out the Volunteer Service and the Director of Mission. We work

Calvary Central Districts Hospital   Calvary Central Districts Hospital recently sought donations of knitted teddy bears, putting the call out via a post on our Facebook page. The teddies are used to comfort and distract paediatric day surgery patients, and our current stocks were running very low. Our knitting group

A fun time is always had by our volunteers and auxiliary members especially at their yearly Christmas lunch where they get to catch up with old and new friends, celebrate the festive season and reflect on the year that was. The group never disappoint, filling the room with glimpses of

Calvary Retirement Community, Cessnock Volunteer Rita Drake has been at Calvary Cessnock since 2016. Rita volunteers three mornings a week and helps with weekly morning tea groups, social visiting and also assists our Leisure Lifestyle team member Sara Hill with a weekly residents cooking program. The cooking program is held

Calvary Haydon Retirement Community   I help out by singing, playing piano, doing craft with the residents, and helping with the bus outings. I wanted to volunteer because my husband was a volunteer, so I joined in as well. My favourite thing about volunteering is seeing the enjoyment it brings

Calvary Haydon Retirement Community I help out by providing social contact and assisting where needed. I wanted to become a volunteer to help the residents in the same way other volunteers had helped my late wife when she was a resident at Calvary Haydon. My favourite thing about volunteering is

Calvary Haydon Retirement Community Billy is 94 and was awarded a Medal of the Order of Australia OAM in recognition of her service to the Public Service while living in Washington DC. I help out by visiting people in the nursing home, many of whom spend a lot of time

Calvary Haydon Retirement Community I help out by driving the bus, overseeing a men’s afternoon tea each Thursday, and lead a singing group with my wife each week. I wanted to be a volunteer because my late wife was the Pastoral Care Coordinator and I became a volunteer to share

At Calvary John James I volunteer on the Lolly Trolley I wanted to become a volunteer because I love talking with the patients and staff – the people here are so kind and friendly My favourite thing about volunteering is meeting people from all walks of life My inspiration is

At Calvary John James I, Joy Horsham I wanted to become a volunteer because I wanted to help mothers in their self-care that the hospital encourages with these exercise classes. My favourite thing about volunteering is the social interaction – though it can be quite tiring after looking after 10

I have been volunteering at Calvary Kogarah for nearly five years now and for the last year, I have been fortunate to be able to share the ‘reverie Harp’ with patients and their carers. There have been many special moments with this beautiful small harp, but one, in particular, touched

I work as a palliative care Community Volunteer at Calvary Kogarah. The reason I became a volunteer was because my older sister died of ovarian cancer.  As I lived in another state and was working full time, I was unable to care and be there for her and her husband in the way

At Calvary Kogarah, I sing regularly at the dementia care unit at Mary Potter House and afterwards provide foot massages to the patients in our rehab section. I wanted to become a volunteer because I felt that being of service to others was an important way of giving back to the community

Pet therapy brings so much pleasure to the patients, staff and for the dogs it provides an opportunity for their socialisation by meeting and interacting in a healthcare environment. I joined the Calvary volunteer team in 2017 with my pet therapy puppies which I train for various organisations. I wanted

In Calvary More than 1000 volunteers, with an average five years of service, make a positive contribution to the wellbeing of our communities.   In Australia* An estimated total of 932 million hours was volunteered during 2016. The rates of volunteering are highest among males aged 45-54 years at 302,612

I started as a volunteer in 2015, assisting in the Mary Potter House day dementia centre at Calvary Hospital Kogarah. From the moment our clients arrive either by our Calvary bus or driven in by their carers, we are there to greet them at the gate and ready to enjoy

Patricia Browne and Toby have been volunteering at Calvary Health Care Bethlehem for nearly ten years. A pet therapy dog, Toby visits patients on the ward once or twice a week. Pat says she loves her volunteering work with Toby. The highlight for her is seeing the joy and the

Sr Cecelia started volunteering at Calvary Cessnock in 2009. She uses her own hearing loss to assisting residents with hearing loss and improving their quality of life. The transformation in residents who have been helped and supported by Sr Cecelia is heartwarming to see. Speaking with residents shows you are never to old

The Calvary Cessnock Auxiliary was established in May 1963 and has served the local community for over 50 years. The group of 10 are part of the 6 million volunteers across Australia that will be celebrated this week as part of National Volunteer Week (8th -14th week).

Maria Roberts has volunteered across the Hunter Region for most of her life. She is celebrating 15 years of service at Calvary St Martin de Porres Retirement Community in Waratah.

Local Cundletown resident Ailsa Turner has supported the residents of aged care facility Calvary St Paul’s Retirement Community for the last 15 years. Ailsa is one of the 6 million volunteers across Australia that will be celebrated as part of National Volunteer Week (8th -14th week).