Marnie shares her heart

Volunteering can be deeply personal and is for Marnie Allen, who spends her time at the bedside of those at Hospice Wellington. Marnie, who has been with Hospice since 2006, says her duties are simple: show up, and listen to incredible stories.

“I have ears with heart, I just button up and listen,” she says. “I go in and think, ‘WOW! Okay…tell me YOUR story.'”

This experience has taught Marnie lessons that can’t be replaced. She says she learned that dying is normal and it’s important to laugh right until your last breath. “You don’t have to give up life at death. Hospice is about living until you die. Dying is normal. It’s a part of life. This attitude helped me when my husband passed.”

Her experiences dealing with Hospice patients were taken to the next level in 2013 when her husband was admitted, but her experiences in her volunteer work made her feel ready. Although she was sorry he was sick and passed away too young, she could still see the positives in life and death.

Here Marnie showcases a series of stones carved out in the shape of hearts. For Marnie, these are very symbolic: “Those hearts mean I am sharing my heart and sharing all I can give to another person. What I give out, I get back tenfold,” she says.