Meet Anna – CanCare Volunteer
As a counselling student Anna was looking to gain some first-hand experience working with people who were undergoing a major disruption to their lives. On searching for a volunteer role she came across the CanCare Navigator role. The role was very appealing as not only could she gain practical experience, she could also volunteer at a time that suited her.
As a full time university student with a part-time job, finding a volunteer role where she could contribute at a time convenient to her was essential. In connecting to Grace, Anna was able to provide some much-needed support to someone who, like most people with a cancer diagnosis, was somewhat anxious about her diagnosis.
Grace always looked forward to her visits from Anna and most importantly their outings. Anna and Grace shared a love of coffee and cake and enjoyed trying different cafes together. Anna also took Grace for walks along the beachfront which she really enjoyed, and they even attended a Tai Chi class to help Grace manage her anxiety.
It was very rare for Grace to miss one of her outings with Anna. Later, they realised they knew some of the same people, as they had both worked at the same place for a short time, on different shifts.
Our CanCare volunteers provide support that ranges from helping with the practical things, like getting to treatment, to just being there for a coffee and chat.
We can’t all volunteer, but we can help in other ways. Your gift will make a real difference to those in need.