Health students volunteering with Solaris Health Care are getting hands-on experience to benefit them in their future careers.
Adarsh Das, now a doctor at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, volunteered with Solaris when studying as an undergraduate and UWA medical school graduate.
“Solaris Cancer Care helps prepare health workers to deal with the raw emotions that sometimes students are unable to face during their usual placements,” Dr Das said.
He said he was drawn to volunteer to develop his communication skills, saying that a lack of communication between health services professionals and patients was becoming an issue within the health system.
The charity also plays an essential role in building the confidence of health service students.
“Students are sometimes not respected as the full-time health service workers due to lack of responsibility,” Dr Das said.
“As a Solaris Cancer Care volunteer, you have responsibility to do good by the patients to do good by the patients and carers who visit one of the centres, and this accountability helps to prepare you for the pressure of full-time work.”
Solaris received no ongoing government funding, relying on donations and in-kind support from 350 volunteers to operate at five centres – Dir Charles Gairdner Hospital, St John of God Subiaco, Cottesloe, Bunbury and Albany Health Centre.
Budget concerns are putting pressure on the organisation to limit operating hours at its regional centres in Bunbury and Albany, meaning that volunteers could be lost, taking training, skills and capacity with them.
To prevent this, Solaris Cancer Care is calling on generous West Australians who have been touched by cancer as it raises funds and awareness during its May We Survive and Thrive campaign.
For more information and to make a one-off tax deductable donation visit www.solaristhrive.com.au
media and images published by The Post, published 01 June 2019
