Ian's Story

Team: Home Support & Transport

In April 2009 I lost my wife Eleanor to Triple Negative Breast Cancer. She was cared for by EPC. What was I going to do with my life now? My three children were all married and had children of their own. The financial, legal, and personal affairs were in order, I had retired during my wife’s treatments.

In July a phone call came from Tricia at EPC asking how I was, and offering two different grief groups to assist me – ‘Walking through grief’ and ‘Talking through grief’. I took the plunge and joined both groups, and found people to share my grief with.

My time with these groups finished in 2010 and I realised that I wanted to do more, so I decided to volunteer with EPC.

I enjoyed the training I was given and was offered a place in the home support and transport team. Since then I have transported clients to hospitals, visited clients to give carers time out, told my story at groups supporting other carers and been involved with various sub-committees.

I can still remember a lot of the clients that I have worked with. They ranged in age from mid-20’s to early 90’s, and were from many different ethnic groups. Each one had an interesting life-story and history.

I have many happy memories including when my EPC volunteer team won the award from the Father Bob Foundation.

I find Eastern Palliative Care a great place to volunteer. They are very supportive and appreciate the efforts we make.