I am old enough to be called “one of the pioneers of palliative care” but serious amnesia has not yet set in (so far as I remember)! I can recall much from those pioneering days, including the hours spent trying to devise comprehensive definitions so that, as we told each other “people will come to… Continue reading
A striking feature of Cicely Saunders’ early work was its articulation of the relationship between physical and mental suffering. This reached full expression with the concept of ‘total pain’, which was taken to include physical symptoms, mental distress, social problems and emotional difficulties. The idea was launched on the world exactly 50 years ago, in… Continue reading
Modern day pain specialists continue to be fascinated by the actions and interactions of particular drugs in specific combinations. As the art and science of such work progresses it is worth reminding ourselves of practices and assumptions that prevailed in the not too distant past – and how quickly these could change. In this respect,… Continue reading
Modern activists in palliative and end of life care work increasingly in a global context, where international links and collaborations have been become a regular feature of day to day activity. But it was not always the case. The early pioneers lived in an era before the internet and instant electronic communication. It is interesting… Continue reading
I am delighted to report that Dr Derek Doyle received the award of Honorary Doctor of Science from the University of Glasgow at a graduation ceremony on our Dumfries Campus, on 9 July. The award was made by the University Chancellor, Professor Sir Kenneth Calman. It was a special moment for the two of them,… Continue reading
Very soon Dame Barbara Monroe will retire after a tremendous term of office as Chief Executive at St Christopher’s Hospice in South London – and many years there before that as a practising social worker. The event set me thinking about the early origins of St Christopher’s and some of the factors that shaped its… Continue reading
I was delighted by the interest in Watch with Me following my recent post and set out to find a pdf of the 2005 version. Fortunately it was still there on an old laptop. So here it is: Watch with Me full text 2005 (PDF) along with Watch with Me cover details 2005 (PDF)… Continue reading
Last week I gave a lecture at the University of Navarra on the life, the work and the legacy of Cicely Saunders. The lecture focused in particular on the religious and spiritual journey that Cicely Saunders made over a personal and professional lifetime and how it paralleled her work in hospice and palliative care. I… Continue reading
