From patient to volunteer

A number of years ago my dad was a patient at St. Mary’s of the Lake Hospital. After undergoing back surgery at Kingston General Hospital he spent five weeks on the Gibson 3 wing where he received therapy.

Today, he is an outpatient at Providence Care Hospital and attends physiotherapy every three weeks. Recently, he worked his first shift as a volunteer. As someone who has volunteered for many years, nothing could have made me happier than seeing my dad put on his Providence Care volunteer lanyard.

Anyone who knows my dad knows that he is a very social person. His new role as a volunteer golf cart driver has provided him with the opportunity to interact with staff, physicians, patients and clients, visitors and other volunteers.

I started volunteering at Providence Care two years ago in large part because of my dad’s experience. Janet Hunter, Director of Volunteer Services says, “It is not uncommon for former patients, or family members of a patient, to become volunteers”. She said that often, these people want to volunteer as a way of giving thanks for the excellent care they, or a loved one, received while at Providence Care. Volunteers help us to live our mission each and every day, and we are grateful for their gift of time.

Perhaps we are more familiar with the scenario of a parent who is proud of his or her child, but in that moment I could not have been more proud of my dad. Providence Care was there for my dad many years ago and is still there for him today.