Dying mum sends Maria on an uplifting path

Mt Druitt Hospital Palliative Care Unit have used their $10,000 Westfield Local Heroes grant to dedicate training and education for their volunteers. The Unit have provided their volunteers with First Aid training, new hand books and hand massage training.

This grant has also given them the opportunity to send 10 – 15 of their volunteers to a two day conference on Palliative Care New South Wales on 3 & 4 of June. Finally, the Unit now have the opportunity to give new volunteers training at a facility in Blacktown to ensure the best care is given to patients.

While this grant has been great for the Hero, Maria, it has also helped the service, and opened the door to more volunteers assisting with the organisation. The organisation have received acknowledgement from the community regarding the value of palliative care volunteering, the difference they are making in the local community, and how the work is making a difference.

The education and training has given the volunteers the confidence to deliver support to the patients, they get something out of it and is then used in their day to day volunteering.

The program has raised awareness of volunteers in the palliative care in general as well as the service, by starting conversations about life and work that they do, helping to break down stigma and barriers.

This program allowed the Palliative Care Unit to partner with Westfield Mt Druitt to host gift wrapping for Christmas 2018, where they had the opportunity to meet new people and spread the world about their amazing organisation and all that they do.

For further information on the Westfield Local Heroes program, click here.