When Cath Wigham’s husband Phil became a regular patient on D6 and the Respiratory High Dependency Unit at University Hospital Southampton, the wards became a second home. Over the course of eight years, the staff became like family — supporting both Phil through complex treatment and Cath as a devoted relative. Following Phil’s passing in 2022, Cath felt a powerful urge to give something back to the teams that had meant so much to them both.

She began volunteering on the same ward where so many memories were made — and soon discovered a new sense of purpose and healing in helping others. Now, she’s taken the life-changing step of joining UHS as a Healthcare Support Worker (HCSW). As we celebrate Volunteers’ Week, Cath’s story is a moving reminder of the lasting bonds created in hospitals, and the difference volunteers make — not just for patients, but for themselves too.

-------------------

Can you tell us how your journey with UHS first began?

My journey with UHS started back in 2015 when my husband Phil was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Just six weeks later, he underwent major surgery to remove his bladder, prostate and appendix, and to have stoma surgery. Sadly, 11 months after that, he suffered complete respiratory failure and was placed into an induced coma. He spent four weeks in ICU — during that time, he also had a heart attack and kidney failure.

Once he was stable enough to leave ICU, he was transferred to D6, the male respiratory ward. That was where we met the incredible respiratory teams who would go on to become such a huge part of our lives for the next six and a half years.

How did your connection with the UHS teams grow over the years?

We were in and out of hospital frequently — always to Respiratory HDU or D6 — and we got to know the staff so well.

They truly became like a hospital family to us. I’ll never forget the kindness they showed to both Phil and to me as a relative.

What motivated you to volunteer at UHS?

I’d spent eight years in and out of UHS while my husband Phil was receiving care, particularly on D6 and the Respiratory HDU. We got to know the staff so well. They truly became our hospital family. I'll never forget the kindness they showed to both Phil, and me as a relative.

After he passed away in August 2022, I felt a huge loss — not just of Phil, but of the hospital connection that had been such a big part of our lives.

I wanted to give something back to the teams who had done so much for us.

Phil had fundraised for 'Action Urology' at UHS during his treatment; by shaving off his fluffy head of hair, he raised £1,200 in gratitude for the care he had received and after he passed, we raised almost £4,000 in his memory for the Respiratory Department. Volunteering felt like a natural next step. I applied to support patients and staff on D6 — the very ward where we had spent so much time together.

What led you to become a volunteer at UHS?

Phil sadly passed away in August 2022. In the months after his death, I felt such an overwhelming need to give something back — especially to the respiratory and HDU teams who had supported us for so long. I also really missed that hospital connection that had been part of my life for eight years.

So, I applied to volunteer at UHS and requested to be placed on D6. I started volunteering six hours every Friday and did that for two years.

What did you find most rewarding about volunteering?

It’s hard to put into words. I felt such a connection to the patients and the staff. It was incredibly special to work alongside the HCSWs and nurses and to feel that I could help make a patient’s day a little better. Everyone was so welcoming — they really accepted me as one of their own. It was a two-way experience: I was giving back, but they were also helping me through my grief. Volunteering each Friday became my happy place.

And now you’ve made a big career change – tell us about that.

Yes, with encouragement from the HCSWs, nurses and ward sisters, I decided to make a life-changing decision.

After over 40 years as a teacher, I’ve given up that career to become a Healthcare Support Worker.

I started my new role in March 2025 — and I’m working on D6, the very ward that cared for Phil so brilliantly.

How does it feel to be joining the NHS team at UHS?

I feel incredibly proud. Ten years after bringing Phil here for life-saving surgery, and after two years volunteering, it’s such a privilege to become part of the team. I’m doing it in Phil’s honour — it means the world to me.

-----------------

Interested in volunteering at UHS? Simply visit our volunteers page for more information about the roles we have available.

From Heartbreak to Healing: Cath’s Story of Volunteering at UHS