Could you volunteer to support people with cancer at your local hospital?

A pilot volunteer programme to support patients undergoing chemotherapy at Guy's Hospital – funded by Guy's and St Thomas' Charity – is now to expand.

Volunteers were introduced into the chemotherapy day unit in July 2007. Since then they have made a real difference to patient wellbeing by providing support and a friendly face.

New volunteers are now being recruited to support patients in other areas of the cancer service such as breast cancer and radiotherapy.

There are currently more than 300 volunteers at Guy's and St Thomas' performing a variety of tasks including guiding patients and visitors around the hospitals, helping in the Medicinema and visiting patients on wards as part of the Spiritual Care Team.

Recruitment rounds for these and many other roles are held twice a year by the Trust's Voluntary Services Team.

"When I was having my chemotherapy I would have liked to talk to someone positive who had actually been through what I was going through," says Sue, a volunteer in the chemotherapy unit at Guy's Hospital.

"I decided that when I was well enough to do so I would volunteer to spend time at Guy's Chemotherapy Day Unit chatting to cancer patients as two of my friends had their chemotherapy there.

"I am lucky enough to be in remission and I love attending the day unit at Guy's for three hours every week. I have developed a great rapport with patients and staff and as a volunteer I feel useful and that I'm giving something back."

You can become a volunteer within cancer services at Guy's or King's College Hospitals whether or not you have had cancer. If you are interested in finding out more, please contact Deborah de Berker on 020 7188 9568 or [email protected]