Meet Hasun, our project lead for ‘Support at Home’. Hasun has worked at Birmingham St Mary’s Hospice for just over a year and every day, he sees the positive impact this service is having on the people, families and carers we support. Here, he tells us why he thinks a hospice is all about living well, bringing communities together and giving people back their zest for life.
I’ve been working at Birmingham St Mary’s for just over a year now and was part of the team who introduced our new ‘Support at Home’ service. Support at Home is regularly described to me as a lifeline by the people who use it. It’s a truly fantastic initiative, in which we visit people in their own homes to offer friendly companionship, as well as help them attend GP visits, support with correspondence and offer carers a chance to take a break for a few hours.
At the heart of this service is the people and their loved ones who we support. When you see someone get their spark back – when they’ve regained their confidence and have a newfound zest for life – that’s when you realise what a difference this service can make.
Some of my favourite memories from working here is seeing the positive change in a person we’re supporting. For most people, the service is a listening ear and a friendly face. It gives them the chance to talk openly and honestly, raising any concerns they may have during this difficult and confusing time in their life. But the service also provides a direct link to the Hospice, offering further medical, practical or social support, wherever and whenever they need it.
One of the things that amazes me most about this service is that it is completely volunteer-led. We have a compassionate and expert team of volunteers who come from a range of different communities, faiths, ethnic and professional backgrounds. Collectively, they speak 14 languages – including sign language – making sure that we can meet the needs of Birmingham and Sandwell’s culturally-rich communities.
I’m always humbled to see people give up their time for free to help others. All of our volunteers go through specialist training for this role and it’s heart-warming to see their hard work give a helping hand to people when they need it most.
Working here means that I never stop learning. I work with healthcare professionals from all different departments at the Hospice, as well as other organisations – from district nurses to social workers. By working together, we hope to provide personalised care that helps people to focus on living well.
Everyone has a different view on what a hospice means to them but to me, it’s a home from home. It’s a place that helps you to live well and I am fortunate enough to see this first-hand every day. Just from seeing the positive difference to the people we support is why I’m proud to work at a hospice. It’s so rewarding to see that the work we do is having a big impact on their lives and I look forward to continue to make this happen.
If you would like to find out more about our Support at Home service, please take a read here.
Or, if you’ve been inspired by Hasun’s story and would like to positively change the lives of local people living with life-limiting illness, why not try volunteering? We have lots of positions available and just a small amount of time can have a big impact. Take a look at our available positions here and make a big difference to others.
