Mercy in Action

This story, set in Mater Private Hospital Brisbane’s Intensive Care Unit, is a living example of Mercy in action, in which Mater has touched people’s lives deeply and been a living witness to our values.

One of the great privileges of working in the health care team here at Mater is being invited to journey with patients, often in times of great turmoil, as they struggle to find meaning through their illness.

Another great privilege is the journey that we share in being part of a collaborative clinical and allied health team, which aims through our mission of Catholic health care, to treat people according to our Mater values of Mercy, Dignity, Care, Commitment and Quality.

One of these great privileges occurred recently through the care of a long term patient at Mater Private Hospital Brisbane Intensive Care Unit (ICU), where over a period of 12 months, a patient, their family, friends and loved ones were cared for with great love and respect.

What was touching to witness over that year was the way that the patient, her family and friends became part of the Mater family. The patient had been a vibrant and vital young mother and wife, who had been struck with an illness which required her to be ventilated for an entire year in ICU.

She had lost control of her body from the neck down and required ventilation to survive. She was entirely dependent on the ICU team for her every need. Her bed and room, decorated with her family pictures, became her world as she witnessed the entire team at work for 24 hours a day. She shared her life story as the team shared their life stories through the daily running of the unit.

While she was not expected to live, after suffering life threatening periods of illness, the ICU team continued to provide her with the best possible clinical and compassionate care available. After exhausting all avenues of treatment after one year of ventilation, the patient made the decision to discontinue treatment surrounded by her husband, children, family, friends and medical, nursing and allied health teams.

At her funeral celebrated in July 2007, which was attended by the ICU team, the family expressly thanked Mater for all those who had been involved in the patient’s care. During her eulogy, the family expressed that they were treated with great care and compassion and above all had felt that they were part of Mater's family.

May we continue to share the spirit of Mercy to all we meet as part of Mater's family.