By Matthew Sims
The legacy and significance of one’s life is a delicate gift.
No one is more aware of this fact than Palliative Care South East companion volunteer Pam Glover, who has been instrumental in the organisation’s Sharing My Story biography program.
Ahead of National Volunteer Week (Monday 15 May to Sunday 21 May), PCSE is celebrating the value of its 50 volunteers, helping those receiving end-of-life support.
The former school teacher started volunteering in 2014 and helped launch the Sharing My Story program in 2016, which involves three or four volunteers visiting PCSE clients and allowing them to talk about their lives.
The team have a portable scanner on hand and collate the story into a full-size book.
Ms Glover said while clients often approached the program with an amount of reservation about how interesting their life story is, they were always impressed with how much they have achieved.
“They get a lot of validation,” she said.
“They don’t want to be forgotten.
“It’s a wonderful process to go through.”
Ms Glover said she had completed more than 75 biographies since starting the program.
“I feel very humbled,” she said.
“It is a privilege.
“I learn something every time.”
Ms Glover said each client has an “amazing experience” to share.
“I feel quite honoured to be part of their lives,” she said.
“I would encourage anyone who has got the time to volunteer in some way.”
Another PCSE volunteer who has dedicated a number of years to supporting those in palliative care with a life-limiting illness is Hampton Park’s Gwen Clough.
Twice widowed, the 84-year-old has a deep understanding of the grief others feel when they are losing a loved one to a terminal disease.
As a volunteer companion, Ms Clough takes clients shopping, to medical appointments, for walks or coffee and has held the hands of grieving widows and sat at the bedsides of the elderly as they share their anger and fears.
Berwick’s Josie Mastroianni is also a volunteer companion to Casey residents with a life-limiting or terminal illness.
For the past seven years, she has provided companionship to vulnerable clients who are lonely or isolated, visiting clients weekly and providing them with the opportunity to go for a coffee, get help with their shopping or taking some time out to talk.
Ms Mastroianni’s Italian heritage and bilingual skills enable her to support a number of elderly clients who originally immigrated from Italy in the post-War years.
PCSE community liaison officer Rochelle Dullard said PCSE’s volunteers are “kind, compassionate and supportive” to clients in their time of need.
“These people are willing to support others at the end of life,” she said.
“I feel very fortunate to be able to be a part of a program with such volunteers.”
Ms Dullard said another aspect to be celebrated is how well the volunteers adapted to the Covid pandemic and providing support with restricted personal contact.
“The greatest success story is our volunteer’s willingness to adapt and how quickly they adapted,” she said.
“They went above and beyond to teach themselves how to do things so they could continue providing emotional support for clients.
“It is an incredible testament to their commitment and shows how invested they are in figuring out what they can do to help.”
For more information on how to volunteer with PCSE, visit palliativecaresoutheast.org.au/how-you-can-help/volunteer.
