John Walker MSC, a creative ministry
John writes from Kensington
Great news … I have returned to my Calvary roots, and my first love palliative care, but not as a nurse! I am engaged as a biographer; someone who sits with a person with a terminal illness over a period of time, recording their life story for publication as a legacy for their family and posterity. Most of my training has been provided by Julie and Robyn from the Sacred Heart Hospice, Darlinghurst as more fully described in the following article:
Telling their story: Sacred Heart’s volunteer biography service wins hearts and awards
Since 2016 Julie Gissing and Robyn Swanson have jointly managed the volunteers involved in the Sacred Heart Biography Service.
The Biography Service in its current form started at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney with one volunteer in 2009.
Julie and Robyn, both experienced volunteers, were recruited as joint coordinators to develop the Service and ensure its sustainability.
Since then the number of trained biography volunteers has grown to 45, enabling members of the Community Palliative Care Team to offer it with confidence to their clients, with referrals coming from community nurses and allied health.
“We visit every client that is referred to us. The match between the client and the volunteer is really important. We aim for the process to be pleasant and enjoyable for them, not stressful.”
Ideally clients have three or more months to live and the process can last for a few weeks or a few months.
Volunteer biographers listen, record and transcribe what the client recalls, adding photos and other memorabilia. At the end of the biography sessions clients receive two copies of the book that can be shared with, and kept by, family.
Ready for portraits as well as biographies
So what is it that makes biography so valuable for the client?
“Almost always, 99% of the time, it’s about the process. It’s about the telling of their story.”
The Sacred Heart Biography Service was recently awarded the prestigious 2018 Innovation and Excellence Award, a national award from St Vincent’s Health Australia under the category ‘Leaders in Catholic health care and service to the poor and vulnerable’.
