Student Volunteers Share Passion to Help Mater Patients

Brisbane volunteers Shaqireen Azam and Malihah Rustam are more than just students, they are friends who share a passion for helping people in their communities.

The Malaysian-born pair, who met through a family friend, are spotlighting National Student Volunteer Week (August 8-14) and encouraging more students to lend a hand at Martell Hospital.

Mater Volunteers Senior Manager Judy Johnson said students are valuable members of Mater’s team, which make up about 15% of Mater’s volunteers, and help them massage, manage, and manage the hands and feet of patients who are frail and have dementia. He said he was assisting in roles such as inpatient support.

With COVID-19 slowing recruitment and resulting in a decline in volunteers, Johnson said students like Shakileen and Marija were “assets” on the team, giving them greater energy and motivation to learn away from the classroom. said to bring

“For student volunteers, having a role outside the classroom can be beneficial and a way to relieve stress,” Johnson said.

“Hands-on experience in a hospital environment can be a very rewarding and valuable experience. Many students volunteer as a stepping stone to work in a healthcare setting.”

A 19-year-old student nurse, Shaqireen volunteers as an Administrative Assistant at the Mater Cancer Care Center in South Brisbane, helping patients submit forms and documents.

Last year, she served as an ambassador, helping stray patients navigate through the hospital.

“I am studying nursing and want to gain more experience in a hospital so this role was really helpful. I think,” said Clubby’s Shaki Leanne.

“Volunteering is really fulfilling and a great past time when I am not studying. It’s really fun.”

Marija, a 22-year-old law graduate, started volunteering as an ambassador for Marter Hospital in Brisbane while studying and enjoys meeting patients from different cultures.

“It’s a really big hospital and I was a little nervous at first, but everyone was so kind and welcoming,” said Malihah of Toowong.

“I met a Singaporean patient on the first day and was able to converse in Malay.

Mater Volunteers welcomes undergraduate and continuing education students to participate in our volunteer program. The minimum hours of volunteer work is four consecutive months of volunteer service, her four-hour shifts once a week (same day and time). For more information about volunteering at Mater, call 3163 8599 or email us. [email protected] Or visit https://mater.li/MaterVolunteer

(Large hospital media release)