Shani threw herself into volunteering in a variety of different roles
9th November 2020
Submitted by Anastasia Evangelides, Royal National Orthopaedic Hospital
Shani Shama joined our volunteer team in May 2020 as she wanted to feel useful and give back to a hospital during Covid. Shani had suffered a stroke several years ago and spent a considerable amount of time in her local hospital recovering. She left the hospital feeling ready to embrace life and very determined.
As a volunteer, whilst she would attend to patients on the ward as a mealtime buddy she would also bring in items for the patients that she was aware they were missing and the family were not allowed to visit. Shani would visit patients outside of her allotted shifts due to their loneliness and as she said "I live locally, and feel I make a difference".
Shani would also assist in the induction of new mealtime buddies, taking them under her wing and showing them the ropes. She put herself forward for another volunteer role as an Entrance Steward. This role was created when we reopened our Outpatients department to patients for face to face appointments when advised it was safe to do so during Covid. Shani would assist patients from department to department as they could not attend with a friend or family member. Shani embraced this role twice a week in addition to her two shifts as a mealtime buddy. In the short time Shani has volunteered with us she has completed in excess of 200 hours.
Shani deserves the recognition for all her hard work and dedication.
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