Volunteer Catherine Buckie is making waves

When Catherine Buckie talks about volunteer work, her conviction is clear: many small actions can create profound change. "Better informed patients navigate the system more easily," says Catherine, a Dartmouth resident, a Nova Scotia Health volunteer and a 2024 Making Waves Award winner. This philosophy has guided her six years of volunteer work as a Patient Family Advisor, where her contributions have affected the healthcare system right across Nova Scotia.

Catherine's volunteer work flowed from her own personal experience within healthcare. She started out talking to patients who were preparing for dialysis. Through listening to their concerns and sharing her understanding, Catherine worked to help patients turn anxiety into confidence. The basis of those conversations resulted in the creation of a dialysis guidebook; a resource she helped create which is used province wide. 

Catherine’s role on the Kidney Patient Advisory Committee includes creating patient materials and helping to refine documents for healthcare providers. On the Renal Quality and Safety Committee, she contributes to discussion of policies that could affect thousands of Nova Scotians. During Multi-Organ Transplant Program Quality and Safety Committee meetings, her role is to advocate for transplant patients with compassion and clarity.

Her dedication and focus were applauded last year with a 2024 Making Waves Award. The award came as a surprise to Catherine, who insists it was a team effort, "I accomplished nothing on my own."

By asking a lot of questions during meetings, Catherine says overlooked perspectives are often revealed. When reviewing documents, Catherine explains that she often recommends using plain language in place of medical jargon in order to reassure patients and eliminate the possibility of confusion.

This year’s National Volunteer Week theme is Volunteers Make Waves. It’s designed to honour volunteers like Catherine who work hard on a wide variety of initiatives across the healthcare system. 

For anyone considering volunteer work, Catherine suggests choosing something you'll enjoy. “It’s wonderful to receive an award and to be recognized, but the real reward is hearing the different perspectives of people who want to solve the same problems you do.”

As Nova Scotia Health celebrates volunteers during National Volunteer Week, Catherine's story reminds us that waves aren't made by a single push alone but by the countless small actions that create great change. 

Photo of Catherine Buckie.