Voice of the Volunteer

“Stop asking yourself what you want, what you desire, what interests you. Ask yourself instead: What has been given to me? Ask: What do I have to give back? Then give it.” ~ Cheryl Strayed, Brave Enough

The Manitoba Institute for Patient Safety has given me the opportunity to share a message of safer health with hundreds of people. Every time I agree to do a presentation or attend an exhibit, I am given the opportunity to inform, to educate, to assist, to share and provide validation to others. As a volunteer, I have the opportunity to listen to 100’s of health journeys. Not only can I offer a listening ear, but also offer input to change the directions of decisions to improve future choices. MIPS volunteers play a big part in our community to support others who at times are ill informed or just not aware of their options in their health journey.

It’s true, we cannot fix every problem or answer every question. However, I think of ‘what if?’ What if I had not chosen to volunteer? Then I would not have had the opportunity to open at least one person’s eyes to making better health choices. By giving our time, energy, honesty, integrity and knowledge, we can make effective changes in our community of fellow men and women. The gift of giving will always come back a hundred-fold. Regardless of how long our volunteer journey is with MIPS, we know that every time we volunteer with an organization, a neighbor, a friend, a child’s school, we are one more person enabling a better outcome.

The opportunity MIPS has provided to be a volunteer offers the opportunity to give back to others. By giving back what we have been given, a volunteer becomes the presence of a leader in their community. In turn, being a volunteer is a gift to yourself.

*This piece was written by our MIPS volunteer Susan Van Koughnet, volunteer since 2007