Nurse Sol’s Christmas Appeal

You might think it’s the most difficult thing in the world…to work on Christmas morning, as a nurse on the cancer ward.

But I see it as a beautiful gift.

My name is Sol, and I’ve been a nurse on the cancer ward at the Mater for 7 years. And I always choose to work on Christmas day.

Let me tell about a patient I was very fond of, so you can get to know the kind of people you’re helping with your gift.

Annie is one special patient I got very close to. She was in her 50’s – far too young. She’d light up every time I came into her room. We had a lot in common, including a slightly dark sense of humour. We shared good laughs together! One day, I jokingly said to her, “please don’t die on my shift.”

But as so often is the case, a few days later she passed, taking her last, shuddering breaths during my shift. I was there, together with her family, as they sat tearfully by her bedside, holding her hand.

I probably don’t need to tell you: It’s so hard to say goodbye to those people who are close to you.

Can you reach inside your caring heart and make a gift to help those precious souls who are still here and too sick to go home to their families?  That extra comfort and care that means so much:

• the mini-fridge to store the only food a cancer patient can keep down on Christmas Day…
• a fan to bring a bit of cool, blowing air to the patient who has a temperature after chemo treatment…
• a little wrapped present on the end of the bed of a patient who has no family nearby…

We always do everything we possibly can to get patients home for Christmas. Sometimes they can only get away for an hour or two – but even that means so much.  Of course you can imagine, not everyone can manage even a small amount of time away from hospital.

I can’t help but get close to these wonderful patients. I spend so much time with… and their family members too. Often, I come to feel like I’m a part of their family.

That’s a big part of my job… that’s the gift that I can give to my patients. The gift of myself, my presence. And that’s why I’m so very grateful to you, for giving what you can to help me to be here caring for these brave, strong, people every day.

Your gift, your compassion will mean the world to our patients, who often never imagined they’d be spending Christmas on a cancer ward.

Please know you’re such an important part of our Mater Hospital family. I truly appreciate your kindness and generous heart.