A day in the life of anyone working at our hospitals is likely to be bursting with activity and things to do.
And that's certainly true for our volunteers. In fact, in the last year alone, we estimate that our army of volunteers donated more than 80,000 hours of time to us.
This time, we caught up with David Hogan (70), a volunteer on Britten ward at Epsom, to find out what a day in the life at our hospitals is like for him.
David decided to volunteer after receiving treatment in the ward two and a half years ago. He said: "A while ago, I suffered a stroke and it really knocked me for six. I thought I was 'Mr Fitness' and then all of a sudden, I was completely floored.
"Luckily, someone upstairs must have been looking out for me, and with the help of the fantastic staff on Britten and my wonderful family and friends, I have made a full recovery.
"I know just how frightening it can be to suffer something like this, and I just wanted to be able to help in any way that I could. Once I was better, my wife suggested that, because I love talking so much, I should try volunteering. I gave it a go and I'm just so pleased I did. I love volunteering.
"What I do is simple really. Every Wednesday I come up to the ward and just sit with patients and chat to them. I introduce myself, ask if they wouldn't mind if I sit down and then just briefly explain what happened to me.
"I understand what they're going through, and even though you'd think it would be nerve-wracking to sit by the bedside of a stranger, once I sit down and start talking, we usually build up a good rapport.
"I often help during mealtimes too. Of course, when you suffer a stroke you can lose a large part of your mobility, and that is something that is extremely hard to come to terms with. You would think that helping someone to eat is a really intimate thing to do, but it comes naturally to me - especially as I understand what it's like to be in that position.
"I feel like I owe so very much to the team on Britten, that helping on the ward seems like the least I could do. I'm a very lucky man."
Since recovery, David has slowed his pace of life (if only just a little). He said: "I was a full time store manager working 60 hours a week before my stroke, but now I'm down to part time work and learning to relax a bit more. I've learnt that you've got to listen to your body, and when you feel tired you need to rest.
"Of course, I still keep myself busy when I'm not at work or volunteering - we've just bought a cavalier King Charles puppy who needs a lot of walking and I love sport. I've been paying a lot of attention to the Tour de France recently."
