SII Family Support Volunteers
Talk to someone who has first-hand experience and really understands your situation. Take a look at the Family Volunteers below. Who might you relate to? Who might have the experience that would relate to your situation? We also have volunteers who do not have profiles on the website.
GET IN TOUCH
We would be delighted to answer any questions you might have regarding the SII Peer Support Service and the supports available to you.
Call us:
Call 085 8584300 (Mon-Fri 9am-5.30pm)
Or email:
[email protected]
Send a message:
Simply click here to Request Peer Support and send your message now. We will then contact you directly.
Pauline
Age: 57, married with two grown children
Injury: Wife of a wheelchair user with a T10/T11 complete injury
Interests: Spending time with her grandchildren, reading and crafts
Why be a peer volunteer? To support others in a similar situation especially those who have found themselves in a situation as a family carer.
Mercedes
Age: 50, 2 adult children and 5 adult step children
Injury: partner of somebody with Cauda Equina Syndrome
Interests: Mercedes is active and outgoing. She has a background in life coaching which gives her a wealth of experience in listening to people and supporting them to set goals.
Why be a peer volunteer? Mercedes feels that having lived experience as a family member will prove very helpful when listening to others who find themselves in a similar position.
Gretta
Age: 48, married with three adult children
Injury: Mother of a 29 year old son who sustained a C1 complete injury following a RTA in 2013
Interests: Gretta loves walking and travelling
Why be a peer volunteer? Gretta has a huge amount of knowledge built up advocating for her son and her family throughout the last 10 years. She is passionate about supporting families and those in the early stages of injury
Frank
Age: 64, married with 2 adult children
Injury: Father of a 27 year old son who sustained a C4- C5 Incomplete injury following a cycling accident in 2012.
Interests: He is very active and is involved with his local scout troop. He enjoys all things DIY.
Why be a peer volunteer? Frank is very willing to offer support on the family perspective of SCI and is involved as an activity volunteer with SII for the past 5 years so has had plenty of interaction with patients from the NRH.
Frank describes here what motivated him to get involved with SII after his son suffered a Spinal Cord Injury in 2012. Read Frank’s story here.
Mary
Age: 60, married with 2 sons
Injury: Wife of a 60-year-old man who became a wheelchair user following an RTA in 2005.
Interests: Walking, reading, knitting, watching sport
Why be a peer volunteer? Due to her own lived experience and years of working in the mental health field Mary feels she can support family members in similar positions to that of her husband.
Sandra
Age: 67, married with 2 grown up children
Injury: Parent of a 21 year old T11/12 wheelchair user who sustained his injury as a young child in 2006 in a RTA.
Interests: Sandra’s son was 4 when he sustained his injury. She has huge experience in travelling for treatment and supporting her son in trying out a number of sports and activities
Why be a peer volunteer? Sandra believes knowledge is power; it would be her goal to make another parents journey easier if possible
