Why I’m a Giving Day Champion – Pam’s Story

“I’m doing it for all of us – for future-proofing this invaluable organisation…”

For 18 years, Pam Mudie has worked at St Oswald’s Hospice – always wearing her best smile and giving her all. At first, she worked in Facilities and for many years she has worked in Day Services where she is currently a Secretary. But to Pam, it’s more than a job…

Pam explained:

“Being part of a team that I love, having a job that I love and giving back to my community. A wise man once said that if you love your job you never work a day in your life and that is truly how I feel about my role at St Oswald’s Hospice.”

For Pam, the hospice means three things – “patients, staff and volunteers”.

And it’s knowing the difference that those staff and volunteers make for those patients, that has kept Pam working here for so long. She remembers back to when she first started and one patient who left a lasting impression on her.

Pam said:

“The first patient I became aware of in the first few weeks of employment was a 45 year old woman who had 2 kids playing on the floor of her room. I was heartbroken for those children. I often think about them – they will be mid 20s now. My take away from that day was that the life-altering and defining time of losing their mother was hopefully softened by the Hospice, they weren’t trailing across car parks, through endless long cold hospital corridors, sitting with their precious mam in a small sterile anonymous room or even worse next to a bed with others in a larger room watching. Whilst we could not make their loss any less devastating, I would like to think that the service, environment and comfort we provide enables memories of their saddest times to be a little softer, that they knew all was done to make her and them comfortable.”

That’s why Pam has chosen to be a Giving Day Champion – to help make sure we can keep the doors open for everyone who needs us.

“I’m doing it for all of us – for future-proofing this invaluable organisation – none of us know what the future holds but I know that what we offer is essential and much needed.”

If you’re feeling inspired by Pam and would like to become a Giving Day Champion for St Oswald’s Hospice, you can find out more about Giving Day here or sign up to become a Champion here.