Meet renal ward volunteer Kerry

National Volunteer Week, 16 – 22 May 2022, is an annual celebration of volunteering and the important role they play in our communities.

Volunteers are essential to the running of our hospitals. Whether through helping to direct patients around the hospital or working on our wards, they make a meaningful impact to the lives of our patients and their families.

Kerry is one of our amazing renal ward volunteers at Armadale Health Service (AHS).

As a child, Kerry had always dreamed of working at a hospital.

“Dad was a bad asthmatic, so Mum and I were forever in and out of Royal Perth with him,” she recalls.

“I got to know the hospital really well and so I was able to help people find their way around.

“I was only about six years old, but I was always at the lifts asking people where they wanted to go and giving them directions.

“I really liked being able to help people.”

Kerry had also yearned to work in pharmacy and fulfilled that ambition with a 37-year career working in two pharmacies – one for a decade, the other a pharmacy in her local community for 27 years.

Now, at 71, the retired mother of one and grandmother of three is realising her other dream.

Kerry volunteers two mornings a week at AHS’s renal ward where her duties include collecting and washing dishes, stripping linen from dialysis beds and chairs, making beds with fresh linen and delivering meals to patients.

Kerry has been a volunteering at AHS for the past 13 years, initially working in a clinic with physiotherapists, occupational therapists and incontinence nurses where she would do everything from driving patients two and from appointments and assisting physios with their exercises.

Kerry says that 10 years ago, the hospital offered her paid employment as a cleaner, which she took on – working up to seven days a fortnight in the role but all the while continuing to volunteer two days a week.

Kerry says the people were great and she loved the role but in July decided to retire from the paid workforce. She continues however to volunteer.

Kerry says she enjoys talking to patients some of whom she has known from her days working in the community pharmacy.

This week please recognise the wonderful contribution volunteers make to our hospitals and community -  say thank you to a volunteer or join the National Volunteer week Wave your appreciation for volunteers campaign.