CFR blog: I absolutely love volunteering

Claire Taylor, 26, is a PA in Cambridge by day and is a CFR in Ely…

I became a volunteer in May 2014 and on average I volunteer for around 20 hours a month.

I wanted to know that if anyone in my family or anyone around me became suddenly unwell, I would know what to do to help.  I also wanted to feel like I could make a difference. 

I absolutely love volunteering. I meet some fantastic people and have a great team. The best highlight I have had so far is having a patient in cardiac arrest and being able to resuscitate them.  There is no feeling better on earth than the happiness knowing you have given someone more time. 

Some calls can be challenging for different reasons, when I first started attending calls I had to tell myself to not panic everything would be okay and I wouldn't forget what to do.  It comes naturally even when I panicked about the call. 

Some calls can be upsetting but in the back of my mind I know just being there can help someone a little, it might not be actually helping the patients, but talking and comforting their families can be very beneficial. 

There are more rewards than you think and the skills you will learn are amazing. I like knowing that if something serious happens, I can deal with it until help arrives. I volunteer in the evenings when I'm watching television or doing the house work so it fits in well and I don't notice the hours I put in.  It's more of a hobby than volunteering. 

The East of England Ambulance Service NHS Trust (EEAST) will be posting a blog from a CFR every day during national volunteers' week, which runs until 12th June #volunteersweek #CFRtakeover