THUNDER BAY – HEALTH – Meet Erica Granholm, a ray of sunshine at Thunder Bay Regional Health Sciences Centre (TBRHSC), who has been a cheerful, committed and resourceful volunteer for nine months.
Erica began volunteering because her parents instilled in her values such as kindness and generosity, and always stressed the importance of giving back. When her sister was seriously injured in a car accident, the exceptional care she received at TBRHSC inspired Erica to give back and become a volunteer.
“As a volunteer, I strive to contribute to improving the health and wellbeing of others,” says Erica. “When I am volunteering at TBRHSC, my goal is to better the lives of those around me by performing small acts of kindness. Often, patients are not feeling well, so I believe that small and thoughtful gestures such as smiling, saying hello, and making conversation have the power to make them feel better. I have found volunteering to be very rewarding as it continues to inspire me. I will continue to do something positive each day to better the lives of others and will try to inspire others to practice kindness by ‘paying it forward’.”
Erica says that her favourite part about volunteering is meeting such wonderful and kind people. She enjoyed volunteering in the Pacemaker Clinic so much that it inspired her to pursue a second volunteering position in the Cancer Clinic. Says Erica, “Words cannot express how amazing it is to hear someone ‘ring the bell’, as it signifies the completion of their cancer treatment.”
Her passion for volunteering has expanded internationally. She recently traveled to Africa to volunteer for an organization that rescues children who have been orphaned due to AIDS and war and had the opportunity to build a school in Gulu (a rural village in Northern Uganda). She notes, “My experiences in Africa have been absolutely life changing and have allowed me to discover the difference that one person can make.”
Erica feels that her life has been changed for the better because of her experiences volunteering, and this has strengthened her desire to dedicate her life to helping others.
We are privileged that Erica chooses to share her time and talents at our Health Sciences Centre, and we thank her and all of our volunteers for the tremendous impact they make on our patient and family care.
