Lisa is a volunteer on the IPU, and her journey with St Teresa’s Hospice began when she came along to the Creative Café one morning to take part in a flower arranging class. She was overwhelmed by how beautiful St Teresa’s Hospice was.
That was the moment Lisa realised that, after having volunteered at Butterwick Children’s Hospice for over twenty years, she truly missed palliative care.
So, she returned to hospice care and joined us at St Teresa’s Hospice.
Lisa’s shift always begins with:
“Hello, I’m Lisa and I’m a volunteer. I can’t do anything medical, but anything else you need — I’m here to help.”
This can often be sitting and talking to patients in the families or carers absence or sitting and watching tv with a carefully placed hand on theirs.
Sometimes, just knowing someone is there is enough. It’s quiet, but it’s also beautiful. Lisa says it’s a privilege to be there — helping make things a little more bearable. For example, she once noticed a patient had very restless legs and suggested placing a pillow under them which instantly made the patient more comfortable.
Lisa occasionally stays late, especially with patients who have no family, allowing the nurses to settle them for the night shift. She’s also an amazing baker, often arriving with a bundle of homemade treats — much to the delight of the team.
“As a volunteer, I don’t expect anything in return and there are no expectations. I’m there to support — because I’m needed.”
One lovely example Lisa shared was from a particularly sunny afternoon. She noticed a gentleman pacing outside, visibly upset as his mum was dying.
“I asked if he was okay and he said no. I asked if he needed a hug, and he said yes — so I gave him a hug. I told him I was going to pick some fruit from the trees in the garden and asked if he’d like to join me. We picked plums, pears, apples and brambles. He proved to be very handy, as he was well over 6ft so he could reach where I couldn’t. He was grateful for the distraction and was able to go back in to be with his mum.
That night, when I got home, I made six or seven jars of jam from the picked fruit. The next morning, I labelled them all and called it “Garden Jam.”
I walked onto the ward and past the patient’s room, where I could see her son was there, but I didn’t want to disturb them. So, I left some jars of jam and placed them on a table with a message:
‘Hope one day you can enjoy these with a cup of tea and a scone — in reflection.’”
When he saw the jam, he was delighted — and took the jars back home with him to America.
On her drive home that night, Lisa cried. It had been overwhelming to share that moment in someone’s grief — and there have been many similar occasions. But Lisa says:
“You just have to carry on, recharge, and see what the next day brings.”
If you are interested in volunteering at St Teresa’s Hospice, please send us an email at hello@darlingtonhospice.org.uk or call us on 01325 254 321.
