A Volunteer's story

Marion Lawrence, one of our volunteers, recently gave a speech at our Duke of Westminster event. This is her story.

I initially trained to deliver the Challenging Arthritis course, and over the years other courses that Arthritis Care has developed. One of the Nurse Practitioners at my local hospital contacted me about the Challenging Arthritis course as she felt that some of her patients would benefit from taking part. When a course was being run locally I would contact her and often three or four patients that she recommended would be part of the group. We developed a good working relationship. 

When HIPs were being introduced we asked the Nurse Practitioner to speak to the Senior Consultant to see if she was amenable to me being there when her clinic was being held. She agreed but needed to find out exactly what we had in mind. A meeting was arranged between the Consultant, the Information Services Manager, the Nurse Practitioner and myself, and it was agreed that I could set up an information point.

As there is so little space where the clinic is held, a small table and a chair is borrowed from one of the nurses, put against a wall, and this is where I set out my display of booklets. I lay them out on the table and whilst I am doing this some patients will be checking in with the receptionist, and one or two will already be seated.

It is most noticeable that the majority of patients do not look about them. They sign in, look for a chair, and sit down.  Some on their own, some with a companion. With some the pain and depression is very visible.

Depending on how busy a day it is I will either stand up and say “I am from Arthritis Care and I have booklets on the table about Arthritis and you are welcome to come and have a look, or I can bring some over for you to look at”.  Or, I will approach a person and ask if they have Arthritis, they say “Yes”. I ask “Do you know what type?”  Most times the answer is “No” or “I’m not sure.”  Some people are so desperate to talk, and ask me so many questions, that I have to remind them that I do not have medical training. I am a volunteer, and just like them I have arthritis too. Which elicits “You don’t look like you have arthritis.” I encourage them to ask the doctor these questions when they go in for their appointment.

We look through the booklets and I point out the back of a booklet where there are addresses and telephone numbers and tell them about the Arthritis Care helpline where they can obtain support and information. They go in to see the doctor with the booklets in their hands, so she is aware when I am there. She once told me that not one patient had complained that afternoon that she was running over an hour late, as I had been keeping them busy, and they did not seem to be aware of the time.

As I am talking to a person there is such a change in their demeanor, from being not bothered to becoming quite chatty.  Also it encourages other patients close by to join in the conversations, and ideas are exchanged and suddenly the atmosphere lightens as they forget their pain. Sometimes when the Nurse Practitioner is ready for a patient she will suggest that we finish our conversation first. Very rarely does a patient not want to talk.

After a patient has seen the Consultant they will often stop at the table and tell me how they got on, and ask when I will be there next.  I usually spend two hours twice a month doing the HIP, when I am well enough to be there.

As I cannot carry the booklets backwards and forwards the Nurse Practitioner keeps my “Box“ under her desk. It also means that she can give patients booklets when needed.  I keep a checklist of what is given out which I forward to the Information Services Manager.  I can re-stock by sending in a request form and have my order sent to the Nurse Practitioner to hold for me.

I looked back through my diaries to find out exactly when I started doing the HIP, and was amazed to discover that it was the beginning of September 2003.  What encourages me to continue doing the HIP is that it has an important part to play at ground roots level in being possibly the first contact a person will have with Arthritis Care and being able to have information and support when they need it most.