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Volunteer stories: Holly
Holly joined ERIC in 2025 as one of our Potty Training Heroes, which is a peer-to-peer online support scheme for parents and carers. She volunteers her time each week offering reassurance to those who are struggling with potty training their children and signposting them to advice.
My daughter Ayda suffered with chronic constipation for three years before we came across ERIC. She got a virus when she was two years old and it all spiralled from there.
I went to the GP six times and was prescribed laxatives to treat it, but we weren’t given any guidance on how to use them. At her worst, Ayda was having up to 15 accidents a day. They told us she would grow out of it, but she very much didn’t grow out of it, in fact it was three years of hell.
We didn’t want to go out for day trips because we wouldn’t know where the toilet would be and she was constantly having accidents. It affected our whole life.
We weren’t referred for further treatment or told about children’s continence services that could help. It was only when we were told about ERIC that things started to get better.
The ERIC website described her symptoms exactly. I was just so relieved there was finally an answer for how to help her. She’s now much better able to control her bowels and I’m so proud of her and how she’s coped.
A lifeline for parents
After a while of receiving support from ERIC, I noticed on social media that they were seeking parents to volunteer and offer peer-to-peer support. ERIC was such a lifeline for us that I really wanted to give back and help support other parents who might be struggling like we did.
To start with, I had an initial telephone conversation with the team, followed by a couple of online sessions where Sunni, ERIC’s Bowel & Bladder Nurse, and Sarah, Head of Family Services, talked us through what it involved.
We were connected with other Potty Training Hero volunteers and received training online, which was very thorough and supportive. I get real satisfaction from helping other parents and the replies we receive from parents who were struggling and felt alone, but now know where to find support, is just so rewarding.
Anyone can be a hero
As an ERIC Potty Training Hero, I offer support to other parents via a web chat service online and via email, signposting to relevant support they might need on their journey. I do it weekly, from home, in hours that suit me.
It’s been great sharing all the things I learned on my journey with other parents, and I’ve also picked up loads of new knowledge and skills which I use in my role.
I know from personal experience that getting a healthcare appointment can be difficult, and healthcare professionals often don’t have much time to spend with each patient, so it helps to go in armed with some information to start with. It’s great that ERIC is here to provide that information and support parents who are struggling with nowhere else to turn.
I like to think of them as the fourth emergency service when it comes to children’s bladders and bowels because in many areas there really isn’t much support for parents. It’s soul destroying as a parent not having an answer to help your child – so being a part of the solution and helping to provide those answers means everything to me.
Give it a go
I’d say to anyone who is considering volunteering for ERIC to apply and find out more – just give it a go. ERIC is a charity and relies on volunteers like us to carry on its vital work. It’s an essential service for families and they need your support, plus it is so rewarding being involved in something like this.
Volunteer Potty Training Heroes
Would you like to help parents and carers who need some support with potty training? We're looking for volunteers on our project, Potty Training Heroes.
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