Just before Easter, Helena Dunbar, Director of Service Development and Improvement at Together for Short Lives, travelled to Canada to undertake the first leg of her Churchill Fellowship. In this next phase of her travels to Australia, Helena shares her final days in Sydney.
If you have been keeping up with my blogs, I hope you are as exhausted and excited as me! What a privilege it is to share and immerse oneself in other teams. It was time for me to say goodbye to the team in Melbourne and head to Sydney. But before that I had to share a little about the work of Together for Short Lives with the VPPCP team and no way better to do that than with cake and coffee, followed by dinner and drinks. Thank you everyone, particularly Melissa Heywood (Clinical Nurse Consultant, Victoria Paediatric Palliative Care Programme) for being so welcoming and accommodating and looking after me so well.
As I boarded my Virgin Australia flight to Sydney, the rain had started in Melbourne to see me off and get me ready for landing back in UK – when it rains, it rains! I managed to have one night of thunder and fork lightning! As I flew into Sydney, despite the cloud, the view from the plane was not to be missed.
A taxi ride to my hotel near Darling Harbour and I had no time to waste: luggage dropped off, 20 min walk and I boarded the ferry to Manly to visit Bear Cottage Children’s Hospice. A quick walk up the hill from the ferry port! I think the Melbourne team did mention it was steep – I should have listened. Arriving at Bear Cottage I was not disappointed.
Bear Cottage is the only dedicated children’s hospice in the state of New South Wales. It is part of the Sydney Children’s Hospitals Network and provides respite and end of life care in luscious mature green surroundings. Situated on Manly and opened in 2001, the model of care is truly integrated into the palliative care network. Each home-from-home bedroom is named after local beaches – Barrenjoey, Bilgola, Clontarf, Forty Baskets, Curl Curl, Narrabeen, Collaroy, Fairlight, Freshwater, Manly, Fairy Bower and Shelly Beach. Alongside a full team of nurses, there is a comprehensive allied health team, including child life specialist, music and art therapist, physiotherapist and social worker. Equipped with sensory room, games room, family spaces and accommodation, spa pool and garden, it can truly be described as a ‘jewel’. Take a look at Bear Cottage’s virtual tour to see for yourself.
Being by the seaside, I of course had to have chips and ice cream (frozen yogurt!) whilst avoiding the vicious seagulls who would attempt to steal your chips! I was luckier than the young girl sitting next to me who lost her fish and chips to a flock of angry birds!
Treats over, I headed back on the ferry to my hotel for the night and enjoyed the sunset over Sydney Harbour.
The next morning was a rest day and I enjoyed the sights of Darling Harbour and the fireworks that evening before my trip home.
As I waved Australia goodbye and headed home, I am thankful for the privilege and honour it has been to travel, to learn and to share with colleagues in Canada and Australia. I have had an amazing five weeks. Thank you to everyone I have met along the way – you know who you are. The relationships and opportunities don’t stop when you get home either. Since coming home, I have been asked to provide an editorial for an edition of Trends in Pediatric Palliative Care Research (TPPCR) for the research team led by Dr Hal Siden in Canada and, despite a ten hour time difference, I was also able to deliver a teaching session to the Palliative Care Team at Sydney Children’s Hospital. I have met some amazing colleagues, shared in lots of hospitality and fun.
The Churchill Fellowship is open to all UK citizens who want to travel to learn and bring that learning back to the UK. You can learn more about the programme of Fellowships and opportunities available here. Apply today.
