I volunteer at a hospice: 'It's a place full of kindness and warmth'

“Mum was receiving palliative care in the Galway Clinic. She was supported by Cancer Care West. She was only sick a few weeks and we had no idea of what was to come. In the early stages, we were hopeful she would come home.” But it was not to be and her mum, Mary, died in August 2022, aged 67.

It is the simple, kind gestures, which made it that bit more bearable, that come back to Kelly. “Like, one of the nurses always made sure we had candles on the little altar in Mum’s room. The support staff would call in to us regularly to see if we wanted to order food. And the staff might pop in to see Mum if they were going off shift for a few days, just in case anything happened.

“We also had opportunities to speak to support workers from Cancer Care West — that was open to Mum, my sister, and me.

Looking back now and seeing all that was done, I realise that as difficult as the situation was, everybody there was very positive, supportive, and full of warmth. And there was laughter. Even though it was a difficult time, there was genuine human connection.

After her mum passed, Kelly was conscious of a desire to give back. Chatting about it one day with a close friend, she discovered her friend’s mother volunteered for Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation. Kelly was interested — but also concerned she might not have what it takes.

“You’re meeting patients and families at a very vulnerable time; for some the worst time of their lives. I worried I didn’t have the skillset. But when I thought of our own experience, I thought probably nobody knows the exact right thing to say or do. And that it’s about being there, that sense of friendliness and just trying to help. Not necessarily knowing what I should say or do — but just being open to supporting people.”

Kelly was further encouraged when her friend’s mum sent her the volunteer pack and she discovered many of the tasks seemed doable. “Like escorting or directing people to where they needed to be, and simple administrative tasks. And respecting individual confidentiality. I felt this was something I’d be able to do.”

Kelly, very much an outdoor girl — she loves horse-riding, recently took up running, and does hikes around the West of Ireland — began volunteering for Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation in August 2024. “Before I did a shift on my own, I shadowed another volunteer. I’m at the front desk, so I’m the first person people meet. I’m engaging directly with patients and families.

“I deal with general enquiries, directing people to the right place; there could be deliveries. I find, lots of times, families coming in or out, or taking a break, sit in reception and have a little bit of a chat, even about the weather, just something different to talk about.”

While she has not yet undertaken a ‘companion’ volunteer role, this is something she would like to potentially do, when she has more time over the summer. “It could involve just sitting with patients, having a chat, or if a patient had an interest in art you might support them with a bit of painting.”

Kelly does her three-and-a-half to four-hour shift on Sundays. “I volunteer most weekends. It’s flexible — if I can’t make a shift, it’s easy to swap with another volunteer. And if I’ve a bit of extra time, I can pick up an extra shift. There are three shifts per day — I generally take the first one in the morning. I’m a morning person, I like to get up and out early.”

Once Kelly’s shift finishes on a Sunday, another regular volunteer takes over. “We have a lovely time, chatting and catching up. Our paths would have been very unlikely to cross if it hadn’t been for the hospice.”

What Kelly most worried about prior to starting her volunteer role was that she would find the hospice a sad place. “That has surprised me most — the positive atmosphere among the staff you meet, your fellow volunteers. Although it’s a place for supporting people through a difficult time, it’s also a place full of kindness, warmth, and opportunities to laugh.

I genuinely enjoy going there. And it feels like a great way of honouring my mum, and being able to give a little something back.

Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation, in partnership with the HSE, funds, supports, develops, and provides specialist palliative care services free of charge to patients with life-limiting illnesses and their families across Cos Mayo and Roscommon.

Care is delivered in patients’ homes, in hospitals, and at the foundation’s two hospices — a 14-bed hospice in Castlebar, and an eight-bed hospice in Roscommon Town. The foundation’s mission is to provide compassionate, holistic care that addresses the physical, emotional, and psychological needs of patients and their loved ones, helping individuals live with comfort, dignity, and the best possible quality of life. Referrals are made through GPs or hospital consultants.

The foundation has recently submitted planning permission for the Sunflower Children’s Hospice, an eight-bed facility in Castlebar. Once completed, it will be the first dedicated children’s hospice serving Ireland’s western seaboard.

• With more than 200 volunteers currently, anyone interested in volunteering with Mayo Roscommon Hospice Foundation should visit: hospice.ie/volunteer/get-involved/.