This National Volunteer Week, we’re recognising the diverse passions and talents of our volunteers, and their outstanding contributions to our health service. By chance, it is also National Palliative Care Week. We were fortunate enough to chat with Russell Wallace, a volunteer at McCulloch House in palliative care, shining a spotlight on both our dedicated volunteers, and the compassionate care of our palliative care workers.
Introducing Russell Wallace
‘Radio Russell’ brought radio to the railways, but now he brings his own brand of consideration to the clients of McCulloch House. To everyone else, he has a message: be considerate, have conversations, and please be mindful where you smoke!
A true extrovert
Russell Wallace came to volunteer at McCulloch after a lifetime in the railways, where he is proud to have helped transition the rail network from flag signaling to radio messaging, earning him the nickname Radio Russell. He knows how to maintain (steam) pressure from his time as a fireman. He understands the challenges of shift work, and the impact it can have on the bodies and minds of people doing it as a train driver. From his time in project management, he knows change is sometimes painful but necessary, and that by taking care of how we do it we can ease that pain a lot.
“If I see somebody is under stress, I think it’s important to help out any way you can,” he says. “I can’t do their job, but I can help – it’s the considerate thing to do.”
Volunteering for 3 years, Russell feels his duties at McCulloch extend to the entire staff, as well as their clients. He might spend his Monday morning teatime in deep conversation with a client, before checking in on the staff at the house, replenishing biscuit jars or making cups of (according to him) terrible coffee.
Russell’s selfless work also extends to his work as a consumer advisor on our Smoke-free campaign, an experience he holds close to his heart for personal and practical reasons.
“It’s just common sense,” he says of the campaign “but it’s amazing to see how much work has to go into making that clear.”
“It’s been a hard road to get to this stage. The Smoke-Free Committee should be very proud of what they have achieved so far. I have a saying – anything worthwhile is never easy, otherwise it wouldn’t be worthwhile. That’s my personal experience as a former project manager.”
Unretiring
With a strong work ethic and an outgoing personality, Russell knew he couldn’t just stay home when he ‘finished working’. To him, it’s less about giving back, and more about recognising what we all get when we contribute what we can: a safer world, a faster train, a better end of life – if everyone can give a little bit we make a big difference. That’s why he was drawn to volunteer in Palliative Care.
“It’s about living well and dying well – which can be hard but there’s peace to be found in it,” Russell says.
Russell is even more eager to listen than talk, and his curiosity is insatiable. It’s this curiosity and genuine love of people that drives Russell to notice when someone needs an ear or a coffee (or both), and that led him to Palliative Care. The need to talk and share a moment with each other face-to-face is more precious than many people realise.
“I appreciate this bit of technology,” he says of his phone, “but I prefer to have a real conversation if I can – they really appreciate that here.”
Approved by Associate Professor Anjali Dhulia, Chief Medical Office and Executive Director, Medical Services
