Molly's Story

‘Volunteering reminds me I am not my illness… and helps me re-engage my brain in fun, fulfilling ways’

Molly was the winner of the Welsh Charity Awards 2024. This is her volunteering story… (so far)…

My name is Molly Fenton, and I am a youth activist for women’s health and youth activism itself across Wales.

I am about to do my second Tedx talk and I hold a British Citizen Award Medal for services to Healthcare (BCAh). I began my own campaign ‘Love Your Period’ at 16 years old. Six years on I have volunteered with my local health board CAVUHB (Cardiff and Vale University Health Board), The Brain Tumour Charity as their first Welsh Young Ambassador and many more organisations in Wales leading and contributing to destigmatising health conversations and spreading awareness about being young and unwell.

[Destigmatising means making something understood as part of life and making it acceptable instead of something that is shameful or hidden]

After a brain tumour diagnosis prompted by hormonal symptoms, I wanted to do my part to prevent as many young people being embarrassed about talking about their bodies as an equal peer who ‘gets it’.

My biggest changes were in my periods, so ‘Love Your Period’ was set up to focus on period destigmatisation, and became a huge community hub to give out free period products. So far in 2025 we have given out over 2000 across Wales.

I enjoy the range of volunteering I do with many organisations, reaching many people and having heartfelt conversations with people who maybe haven’t had a safe space to share before.

There have been challenges in my age, working with some organisations where I haven’t felt entirely welcomed or told I don’t know anything because of my age, but with time, I have found organisations like WCVA who are altogether supportive of young volunteers like me and are there to support!

Volunteering gave me an outlet when my diagnosis meant I became very isolated, lonely, and lost a lot of the life I had. I found all my friends through volunteering, it reminds me I am a human and not my illness and has helped me regain everyday functions and reengage my brain in fun, fulfilling ways.

My message to anyone wanting to get into volunteering…there truly is room for everyone. Find an organisation that makes you feel safe and values you, or even go for it yourself and start your own campaign like I did.

FIND OUT MORE: If you would like to find out about volunteering in Wales, you can search hundreds of opportunities at www.volunteering-wales.net

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Molly's Story

‘Mae gwirfoddoli yn fy atgoffa nad fy salwch ydw i... ac mae’n fy helpu i ailymgysylltu fy ymennydd mewn ffyrdd hwyliog, gwerth chweil’

Molly oedd enillydd Gwobrau Elusennau Cymru 2024. Dyma ei stori gwirfoddoli... (hyd yma)...

Fy enw i yw Molly Fenton, ac rwy’n ymgyrchydd ieuenctid dros iechyd menywod a gweithgarwch gweithredu gan bobl ifanc ledled Cymru.

Rydw i ar fin gwneud fy ail sgwrs Tedx ac mae gen i Fedal Gwobr Dinesydd Prydain am wasanaethau i Ofal Iechyd (BCAh). Fe ddechreuais i fy ymgyrch fy hun ‘Caru Eich Mislif’ yn 16 oed. Chwe blynedd yn ddiweddarach, rydw i wedi gwirfoddoli gyda fy mwrdd iechyd lleol, Bwrdd Iechyd Prifysgol Caerdydd a’r Fro (CAVUHB), Elusen Tiwmor yr Ymennydd fel eu Llysgennad Ifanc cyntaf yng Nghymru a llawer mwy o fudiadau yng Nghymru, yn arwain ac yn cyfrannu at ddadstigmateiddio sgyrsiau iechyd a lledaenu ymwybyddiaeth am fod yn ifanc ac yn sâl.

[Mae dadstigmateiddio yn golygu sicrhau bod rhywbeth yn ddealladwy fel rhan o fywyd a’i wneud yn dderbyniol yn hytrach na rhywbeth sy’n gywilyddus neu’n gudd]

Ar ôl cael diagnosis o diwmor ar yr ymennydd wedi’i ysgogi gan symptomau hormonaidd, roeddwn i eisiau gwneud fy rhan i atal cynifer o bobl ifanc â phosibl rhag teimlo cywilydd wrth siarad am eu cyrff, fel rhywun cyfartal sy’n ‘deall hynny’.

Y newidiadau mwyaf i fi oedd yn fy mislif, felly sefydlwyd ‘Caru Eich Mislif’ i ganolbwyntio ar ddadstigmateiddio mislif, a daeth yn hwb cymunedol enfawr i roi cynhyrchion mislif am ddim. Hyd yn hyn yn 2025, rydym wedi rhoi dros 2000 o gynhyrchion ledled Cymru.

Rwy’n mwynhau’r ystod o waith gwirfoddoli rydw i’n ei wneud gyda llawer o fudiadau, gan gyrraedd llawer o bobl a chael sgyrsiau teimladwy â phobl sydd efallai heb gael lle diogel i rannu pethau o’r blaen.

Rydw i wedi wynebu heriau oherwydd fy oedran, gan weithio gyda rhai mudiadau lle nad wyf wedi teimlo eu bod wedi fy nghroesawu’n llwyr neu gael pobl yn dweud nad wyf i’n gwybod unrhyw beth oherwydd fy oedran, ond gydag amser, rydw i wedi dod o hyd i fudiadau fel CGGC sy’n gwbl gefnogol i wirfoddolwyr ifanc fel fi ac sydd yno i gefnogi!

Rhoddodd gwirfoddoli ddihangfa i mi pan roeddwn i’n ynysig iawn ac yn teimlo’n unig ar ôl fy niagnosis a phan oeddwn i wedi colli llawer o’r bywyd oedd gen i. Fe wnes i ddod o hyd i fy holl ffrindiau trwy wirfoddoli, mae’n fy atgoffa mai person ydw i ac nid fy salwch ac mae wedi fy helpu i wneud pethau bob dydd unwaith eto ac ailymgysylltu fy ymennydd mewn ffyrdd hwyliog, gwerth chweil.

Fy neges i unrhyw un sydd eisiau gwirfoddoli… mae lle i bawb. Dewch o hyd i fudiad sy’n gwneud i chi deimlo’n ddiogel ac sy’n eich gwerthfawrogi, neu ewch amdani eich hun a dechrau eich ymgyrch eich hun fel y gwnes i.

MWY O WYBODAETH: Os hoffech chi wybod am wirfoddoli yng Nghymru, gallwch chi chwilio am gannoedd o gyfleoedd yn www.volunteering-wales.net

 

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