Hospiscare volunteer Conor pursues his dreams
What do you do when your A level results don’t make the grade and you want a career in medicine?
This is the situation Conor Goldsmith found himself in a couple of years ago, but instead of giving up on his on his dream job, Conor started volunteering.
“When my A levels didn’t go as well as I’d expected I had to re-think everything, so I signed up to do BTEC Applied Science at Exeter College. Around the same time I also started volunteering for WestBank. I befriended a lady who had dementia and paid regular visits to offer companionship and alleviate her feelings of isolation. I really enjoyed helping other people and wanted to do more volunteering, so looked for opportunities that would help with my goal of getting to medical school.
“I knew of Hospiscare as they helped my Nan when she was diagnosed with cancer and so I applied via their website for a volunteer role. It can be really hard to get work experience in a medical environment and there’s lots of competition to get into local hospitals, so volunteering is a great way around that. Hospiscare are always looking for volunteers so they were more than happy to help me gain experience.
“I started as a Hospiscare Ward Volunteer in October 2016. I come into Searle House in Exeter for a couple of hours on Saturday afternoons and it’s been such an eye opener. I was approaching it from a really clinical mind set, thinking about anatomy and the biology of the human body. But volunteering here has given me so much more than I had hoped for. It’s been an education in communication, common sense, how I relate to other people, understanding difficult situations and how to react. I have gained so much insight from this, it’s given me a huge amount of personal confidence and I often leave feeling incredible.
“You learn to value life a lot more and be grateful about what you have. When a patient passes away you really feel it and it’s difficult to see a family in grief. But you also feel that you are part of something important and have helped in some small way and made a contribution by helping patients, getting them a drink or having a chat. It’s so rewarding to get a smile back from someone and you meet a lot of characters. I was helping to care for one gentleman who wouldn’t let me get him any food or drink until I told him all about myself, who I was, where I was from, so you get into some good conversations.
“I recently applied to five universities and my volunteering was a large part of my application. I was so chuffed to get offered places for all five, and this September I will begin studying for a degree in Biomedical Science at Brighton University.
“My friends often ask why I volunteer at Hospiscare - it’s not the usual place a person of my age would choose to spend their free time. But don’t judge a book by its cover. It’s incredible to be part of an organisation like Hospiscare, I have gained so much personally from the experience and I will carry on volunteering in Brighton when I move up there later in the year.”
Hospiscare is a local adult hospice charity, providing free, high quality care and support to people with any type of terminal illness, and those close to them, in Exeter, Mid and East Devon. A gift to Hospiscare in your Will helps to ensure the future of the charity in Devon for generations to come.
If you’re interested in volunteering please visit our website or call Vicky or Bob for a chat on 01392 688005.
