Pioneering Women in Health Care
Week 3
Cecily Saunders had always wanted to be a nurse but was overruled by her father and instead went to Oxford to study politics, philosophy and economics. When the second world was broke out she defied her parents and enrolled as a student nurse. Once qualified she returned to Oxford to complete her degree after a back injury.
She worked as a social worker and during this time she moved from being agnostic to embracing the christian faith. Following the loss of people close to her Cecily felt called to provide a home where dying people could be treated both with the best that science could provide and also treated with love. She worked at St Josephs hospice for the dying poor whilst studying pain control. She the went on to establish St Christophers Hospice which is seen as a centre of excellence for caring for those who have a terminal illness.
We read in Johns gospel (John 10.10) that Jesus came so that we might have life in all its fullness.
So we pray for those whose lives are limited because of health or circumstances. We pray for those suffering from physical. social, psychological and spiritual pain of any sort. We pray who provide care in a hospice or in hospice at home teams that allow people to die at home if they wish. We pray for play therapists, physios and OT staff that provide opportunities to fulfil wishes and make memories.
