By JUSTIN JAMES
The Sampson Independent

Mother and daughter Home Health and Hospice Care (3HC) volunteers Sue McLamb, left, and April McLamb look over a list of planned activities to do with their patients at a local nursing home. Both are full-time college students and enjoy volunteering in their free time.

September 6, 2003 Source: The Sampson Independent

CLINTON, N.C. _ For many Sampson County residents facing terminal illness, even the simplest of activities can be difficult. Organizations like Home Health and Hospice Care (3HC) help make their final days on earth as easy as possible. However, they do not have the manpower to provide them with what 3HC Hospice Community Liaison Marie Daniels Ulrich feels is the most important service – companionship. That is why they are searching for volunteers in Sampson County.

“Right now,” said Ulrich, “we have eight volunteers in our Clinton office. It would be wonderful if we could get 25. That way we could always have someone ready if they were needed.”

She explained volunteers perform a number of services to those in hospice care.

“A lot of people in our care just want someone to go and sit with them,” she stated. “These situations can be very hard on the families. It’s good to give them an opportunity to get away for a few hours. They can undergo a lot of mental stress. Volunteers are there when patients or their families need someone to talk to, help around the house or help running errands.”

Ulrich also had much to say of the rewards of being a hospice volunteer.

“I’ve been volunteering for 11 years,” she said, “and I just get such a good feeling in my heart knowing that I’ve helped someone. People in our care need someone that they can confide in. I just can’t describe how good it makes you feel when you’re able to bring a little joy into someone’s life.”

“It’s strange,” she continued, “you’re there to help them, but when you leave, they’ve made you feel better, too. They become like extended family. I still keep in contact with some of the families I’ve worked with over the years.”

All that is required of volunteers is submitting to a criminal background check and completing a short training course, which Ulrich says only takes a few hours.

“I’ve had a training session in Hardees,” she admitted. “Basically, the training is just to prepare you for what you may see when dealing with a terminal patient. It can be a shock to the system for some people. But the rewards are great, and our patients are very grateful.”

Anyone interested volunteering should contact Marie Daniels Ulrich at (910) 592-1421.

For more information about Hospice programs of 3HC write to 3HC Hospice, attention: