Marie Curie - the UK’s leading end of life charity- is looking for Companion volunteers to support patients at the end of life, following the expansion of the service in partnership with Birmingham City Council and University Hospitals Birmingham.
Marie Curie Companions service will be available at Heartlands Hospital from September and builds on the successful implementation of the service at Queen Elizabeth Hospital and Good Hope Hospital. The service will see a dedicated team of volunteers providing support and a reassuring presence to patients at the end of life. Since November 2025, the service has supported more than 80 patients and 60 families, with the help of 10 dedicated Companion volunteers.
Marie Curie Companions provide emotional and practical support for patients approaching the last days of life, as well as signposting to bereavement and end of life support services. Volunteers will also offer companionship to those who may not receive visitors and respite for families who need time away from the bedside.
Volunteers are asked to provide support for roughly three hours per week with comprehensive training and support given to equip them with the skills and knowledge needed to provide high-quality support with confidence.
Coreen Astle, Acting Associate Director of Strategic Partnership & Services in the Midlands, said:
“We’re really delighted to launch our Companions service at Heartlands Hospital. Not only is the service a great comfort to the patient, but also to families who can arrange for a Companion to visit their loved one at a time when, for whatever reason, they cannot be there themselves. Heartlands Hospital serves a diverse community with a range of socioeconomic challenges, so there’s a real opportunity for this service to positively impact the lives of people at the end of life, and their loved ones.
Through the training and experience they gain as a Companion volunteer, many people find the role personally rewarding, too. Our volunteers often report feeling more confident in conversations about death and dying, develop a deeper understanding of end-of-life issues, and feel better equipped to support their own loved ones when the time comes.
If you live in Birmingham or the surrounding areas and are able to spare a few hours per week to help people going through the toughest of time – we'd love to hear from you.”
Marie Curie supports people with any illness they are likely to die from including Alzheimer’s (and other forms of dementia), heart, liver, kidney and lung disease, motor neurone disease, Parkinson’s, and advanced cancer. The charity provides expert care and support in people’s homes, in its hospices and over the phone via its free Information & Support helpline which is there for anyone who is affected by dying, death and bereavement.
Oyelami Blessing, 32 from Coventry, is a Marie Curie Companion volunteer at Good Hope Hospital. He said:
“I wanted to volunteer because of my personal experience with grief. I lost my mum when I was 12 and two years later I lost my grandmother to blood cancer. During my grandmother’s final days, I spent a lot of time sitting with her. Looking back, I realise that although I couldn’t take away her pain, my presence meant she wasn’t alone. That experience has stayed with me ever since.
When I discovered Marie Curie’s End of Life Companion role, I knew it was something I wanted to do. It felt like an opportunity to offer someone else the same comfort and companionship that meant so much to my family. As someone who hopes to become a counselling psychologist, volunteering with Marie Curie has reinforced how powerful simply listening, showing compassion and being present for another person can be”
Councillor Nosheen Khalid, Cabinet Member for Health and Social Care at Birmingham City Council, said:
“Being able to offer meaningful, personalised support to end-of-life patients and their families at what will understandably be a difficult time is incredibly important and so I am pleased that this vital service is now being expanded to Heartlands Hospital.
I know that the volunteers who offer companionship and support through this service do some absolutely fantastic work, so I would urge anyone who would like to make a real difference to others to sign up as a volunteer for this newly expanded initiative.”
Katie-Ann Rotheroe, End of Life and Bereavement, Clinical Nurse Specialist at University Hospitals Birmingham, said:
"We're delighted to welcome the expansion of the Marie Curie Companions Service to Heartlands Hospital. This service will provide invaluable companionship and emotional support to patients nearing the end of life, while also offering reassurance and respite to those important to them. Working alongside our End of Life and Bereavement teams, the Companions Service complements the compassionate, person-centred care already provided across our hospitals and reflects our shared commitment to ensuring every patient receives the best possible care and support at the end of life."
To find out more about volunteering as a Marie Curie Hospital Companion, see the latest opportunities: https://www.mariecurie.org.uk/get-involved/volunteer
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