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David tells us about volunteering this National Volunteer Week
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- David tells us about volunteering this National Volunteer Week
20 May 2022
This week is National Volunteer Week 2022 – a chance for us to celebrate the many dedicated volunteers we’re so lucky to have at Austin Health.
Every one of our volunteers who give their time to help our patients has their own story but Royal Talbot Rehabilitation Centre volunteer, David Hunt, has a very unique connection.
David has been an inpatient on two occasions - first in 1977, then again in 1992, following accidents that resulted in multiple broken bones and a head injury.
Years after completing his rehabilitation at the Royal Talbot, David joined Talbot’s community woodwork program as a participant and is now a long-serving volunteer for the River Enterprise Woodwork group.
‘‘As I have been an inpatient at Austin Health and on the other side of the coin, it is nice to give back to the people who have given so much to you,’’ David said.
‘‘To be recognised as a volunteer during National Volunteer Week gives you a bit of wind beneath your wings, however just knowing that I’m a volunteer is enough for me. I know I’m giving back to many people who helped me along the way."
Having a personal understanding of some of the challenges that patients’ face due to his own past experiences, David is well positioned to provide comfort to others.
‘‘Medical staff can treat patients to make them feel physically better, but volunteers play a major role in providing patients with reassurance and emotional support,’’ he said.
National Volunteer Week 2022 runs from 16 - 22 May with a theme of 'Better Together'.
