Volunteer story by Laura

Share a brief overview of yourself:

Hi! I’m Laura, and I’ve been volunteering with LiverWELL since 2024. I’m currently in my 3rd year of medical school at UWA, and completed my Bachelor of Science majoring in nutrition at Melbourne University. I do love studying and learning, but some of my favourite things to do outside of that are singing, going to the gym, and volunteering. I am currently the volunteering chair for the medical school at UWA and really love chatting with people about health topics. I have been grateful to LiverWELL for involving me in various volunteering opportunities during my visits to Melbourne.

What inspired you to become a LiverWELL volunteer?

My studies have made me realise how cool the liver is as an organ and how vital its role is for so many aspects of our health! I think it’s particularly interesting how many different social determinants, such as country of birth, substance use, diet, health literacy and physical activity, all have a link to how our liver functions, and I really wanted to broaden my knowledge in this area and also share some of my knowledge with people who are interested. I also really like the emphasis LiverWELL places on non-judgmental approaches to education, and their focus on preventative care

Do you have a particular interest in liver health?

Yes, I do! I am really keen on the specialty of gastroenterology (which focuses on gut health, including the liver), and have organised a placement in that rotation for October of this year, so I’m hoping to learn lots of nitty-gritty details about liver diseases, treatments, and impacts on people’s lives. Liver diseases can also present in many unusual and striking ways, so it’s quite an interesting organ to study and see the effects of first-hand.

Please describe one of your favourite LiverWELL experiences or moments.

My favourite moment with LiverWell was during an education session at the Science Day for Melbourne Uni students. I had such a fun time doing the liver quiz game with participants, and I was really impressed at how many of the students wanted to know more about liver health and spent time asking follow-up questions. It was also a really nice opportunity to offer some tailored health information, which I think makes the moment feel more significant to the people you’re talking with. Also, I still use my free LiverWELL pen to this day! So there are many perks to volunteering!

What tips do you have for new volunteers?

If a volunteering opportunity sounds interesting to you definitely give it a go! Even if you are a bit shy (like I am), the team are super friendly and will help you out with any knowledge gaps so you can feel confident in your tasks. They’re also happy to accommodate to your skills, so there will always be something you can offer. You will learn a lot, so take advantage of the opportunities.

What’s next for you?

In the next couple of weeks, I will start my gastroenterology rotation, so I’m very excited to learn about the ways people present to the hospital with liver problems. I’m also looking forward to seeing how people manage and recover from liver issues in outpatient clinics. Afterwards, I will have to get through my end of year exams, but next year I am doing a month-long rural GP rotation in Stawell Victoria which is a community with important ties to my family, so this will be a very fulfilling experience for me.