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Volunteers' Week: Louise - HealthUnlocked Forum Moderator

 

 

Louise is part of our HealthUnlocked Forum Moderator Team. Her role includes supporting posters and ensuring all posts are in line with the code of conduct. Our HealthUnlocked forum has over 23,000 members and so Louise's role is essential in ensuring things run smoothly. 

Here, Louise talks about her reasons for volunteering with Endometriosis UK.

  "I have been volunteering with Endometriosis UK for around a year and chose to be a volunteer because, when I was diagnosed around 12 years ago, I was not aware of the support there is out there. I would have found it helpful to talk to other people about my condition but I   managed it alone. I didn't want anyone to go it alone like I did.

The most rewarding part of the moderator role is seeing people receive really good hints and tips from other women. There’s a real sense of togetherness when I read posts where people really come together to help another woman. However, there is also the other side of things, where women write about being in desperate need of help and can’t seem to find it. That’s really challenging.

 Moderating is not always easy, but your experience and compassion can help another woman. One thing I find faced with a tough post is being empathetic not sympathetic. As much as using your own experience is helpful, being able to not take on what you've read is crucial. It's good to have a good support network around you and to take care of yourself too.

If you have all those things and a desire to help other women, I’d really recommend getting involved. 

You can visit our HealthUnlocked Forum for online support.