Raewyn is one of our incredibly talented volunteer musicians. Her journey with us began almost five years ago after her parents passed away – her father in mid-2018 and her mother in mid-2019, following a long battle with Parkinson’s. This profound loss inspired her to give back to the health system that had supported her family.
Raewyn is blessed with a loving husband and three adult children, and she and her husband run a Thorndon based property business. Coincidentally, their daughter chose a nursing career and started in the Intensive Care Unit at Wellington Regional Hospital.
Research shows that music offers many calming and therapeutic benefits, and our volunteer musicians help create a welcoming, positive environment that enhances the overall well-being of everyone in the hospital. Reflecting on her role, Raewyn told us, “I’m hopeful that through the music I play, I can touch, even if only for a moment, the hearts of patients, their whānau, friends, hospital staff, volunteers, and anyone else who passes by. I aim to tailor my music to suit the audience, including cultural music and themed music days featuring popular songs from musicals and themes of peace, love, harmony, life, encouragement, gardens, and creation.”
Volunteering has profoundly impacted Raewyn. She cherishes the interactions with people who pass by or stop to hear her play. The appreciation shown to her – whether through listening, saying “thank you,” waving, clapping, singing along, requesting songs, sketching her at the piano, or recording videos to share with family overseas – is incredibly rewarding and inspires her. She feels the distress of those suffering from illness and strives to play music that will help make their time in hospital a little more bearable.
For anyone considering becoming a volunteer, Raewyn would say, “Go for it.” Give it a try and touch other’s lives! “I’d like to thank the Foundation for giving me the absolute honour to share my music with others. It means I am sharing with others, and I am privileged by those around me sharing a little of themselves with me too. I’d also like to thank and show appreciation for my friends and family who have greatly encouraged me to participate in this journey. This has meant a tremendous amount and motivates me to continue.”
We are immensely grateful to Raewyn and all our volunteers. Their efforts truly make a difference, creating a supportive, compassionate, and caring environment in our hospitals.
He aha te mea nui o te Ao? He tangata, he tangata, he tangata. What is the most important thing in the world? It is the people, it is the people, it is the people.