Giving the gift of time

I started the Duke of Edinburgh award at high school which sparked my love for volunteering and I haven’t stopped since. After completing a BSc in Human Nutrition, it was a huge change for me to move from the small university town of Dunedin, up to New Zealand’s largest city to study at Auckland University. Luckily, I knew the best way to make connections in a new place was through volunteering.

My first volunteer role was in 2013-2014 as an assistant rowing coach for adults with special needs. I loved the sense of shared achievement and inclusion that the rowers, coaches and supporters felt at the end of training.

In 2015, I spent 4 months volunteering as a teacher’s assistant in rural Fiji.  I’m most proud of re-establishing the school library and turning it into a vibrant space which students loved spending time in.

When I moved to Otago University in 2016 I became a Red Cross volunteer at the Homework Club. We provided after school tutoring for former-refugee high school students. Again, I learnt so much from this experience. The dedication these students showed towards their study in a new country and in a new language was very motivating for my own studies.

When I moved to Auckland in 2019, I became a Radio Lollipop volunteer at Starship Hospital. Like many of my previous volunteer roles, Radio Lollipop was all about sparking joy in others. We focused on bringing smiles and laughter into the hospital room in a unique way for each child.

Since moving to Waikato, I have become involved in helping the Waikato Hospital Ophthalmology Department conduct vision screening at local marae. These checks are conducted in conjunction with kaumātua led Covid-19 vaccination days. It has been fantastic to see first-hand the success of kaupapa Māori initiatives and health professionals working in partnership with local leaders to deliver better health care for Māori communities.

Volunteering has been essential to my development as a medical student. I draw on the lessons and experiences I’ve gained through volunteering to connect with the patients I meet. Volunteering is humbling, it reminds me that there is much more to healing and health than just medicine. At the end of the day, it important to strive for moments of joy, even if they are only brief.

Volunteering is about the people, and the gift of time. In a world where everyone is short on time it has been satisfying to be able to contribute to the different communities I have lived in by donating my time.

I’m very grateful to be a MAS Here for Good Scholarship recipient. The funds will support me with the travel costs of being involved in an upcoming SoRHA rural schools trip and the Ophthalmology vision screening days. I’m also hoping to attend the New Zealand Women in Medicine conference in Wellington later this year and this scholarship will also help to cover the costs of attending.