16/06/2026
Nadene didn’t set out to become a volunteer. Her journey began during one of the most difficult moments a family can face – when her mum was brought into Middlemore Hospital’s Emergency Department.
“It was an overwhelming time,” Nadene recalls. “But what stood out to me was not just how well my Mum was cared for, but how we were cared for too.”
While doctors and nurses worked tirelessly, it was the volunteers who quietly filled the gap – offering reassurance, kindness, and presence when it was needed most. “They treated me with such respect and compassion. They listened, they checked in, and they made sure I wasn’t alone.”
That experience stayed with her. She remembers thinking, ‘I would love to do something like that’. Then one day, Nadene took the leap. “I finally enquired about becoming a volunteer, and before I knew it, I was one.”
Now, eight and a half years later, Nadene reflects on the role with gratitude and pride. What began as a moment of vulnerability beside her mother’s hospital bed has grown into years of service, connection, and care – an enduring example of compassion in action.
Thank you to all our amazing volunteers.
