Hospice

A visit today to Marie Curie - what a wonderful place (and more importantly, people!)

The first modern hospice care was created in 1967 by a lady who is a hero of mine, Cicely Saunders.
“Dame Cicely Saunders was a British registered nurse whose chronic health problems forced her to pursue a career in medical social work. The relationship she developed with a dying Polish refugee helped solidify her ideas that terminally ill patients needed compassionate care to help address their fears and concerns as well as palliative comfort for physical symptoms. After the refugee's death, Saunders began volunteering at St Luke's Home for the Dying Poor. Saunders entered medical school while continuing her volunteer work...she completed her degree in 1957, and took a position there.

Saunders emphasized focusing on the patient rather than the disease and introduced the notion of 'total pain', which included psychological and spiritual as well as physical discomfort.”

She was a lady whose practice was motivated by her faith in God (being encouraged not to give up after reading Psalm 37), and compassion for fellow humans. And who never lost sight of the whole person...recognising that our needs in life and death extend beyond the physical.

But the people who inspire me are not only the “helpers”, but those who are receiving help - for it takes a lot of humility and courage to do that. One patient we talked to seemed to encourage and bless the other patients more than any staff could, through her vulnerability and capacity to love. Yet she struggled to see that, and instead felt like she was failing the people around her. A very relatable feeling! I think memory comes in many different forms - some can remember names, others faces, and some can remember they are loved without forgetting it. But amnesia too comes in different forms...I look forward to the day when we will suffer no memory loss of the love God has for us.