Farewell Virginia

Virginia passed away at Calvary St John's Hospital on our Gibson Unit.

on the 18.10.2016

Virginia touched all of our lives.

Thank you Virginia for your generosity of spirit. We will not forget the privileged place you gave us in your life. We give thanks to you and to your family. You will be greatly missed.

Rest in Peace Virginia

Below is the speech written by Hon Michael Ferguson and delivered by two of our St Mary's program participants Nadia and Madison at Virginia's funeral.

This is a tribute to the life of Virginia 

Firstly, I would like to acknowledge Virginia's family for inviting me to offer this tribute, according to Virginia's request. I thank the students from St Mary's College for delivering it in my absence - which as you will soon understand, is actually very appropriate and a blessing.

From the outset I must say that being asked to eulogise a person whom I have only met once is obviously very unusual! As I considered this request, thoughts immediately turned to the unique but very important circumstances in which I had the honour to sit, listen and talk with Virginia and came to know her.

This deeply significant meeting occurred on a bright and sunny winter afternoon in June at St Mary's College. This rather special gathering was the meeting of an archbishop, palliative care experts, nurses, educators, students, a health minister and (the somewhat central person), Virginia - our palliative care patient.

What could bring such a group together?

It seemed, that what brought us together was the certainty of death. That is – death; how best to prepare for it and how to ensure the death that will come to each of us is as good a death as possible.

As a community, we are getting better at understanding that the person approaching the end of life deserves complete respect, compassion, care and the relief of discomfort and pain. The valuable work of Palliative Care Tasmania has done so much to help people and their loved ones better understand their options and to make informed decisions early on. In turn, our health system is improving the way that end of life care is given. Including listening to patients, helping them to receive the best care. This is whether it's in the hospital or in the home. Whether it's to fight disease to try to extend life or to aim for quality of life and focus on comfort and relief. And it's so important for the next generation of health care professionals to learn these important lessons as early as possible too.

But all this important work is of limited value if we exclude the patient, or to put it more correctly, the PERSON, a real person who understands what it is to experience the palliative care journey first hand.

Death and dying is a difficult enough subject at the best of times. So finding a person with the inner strength and generosity of spirit to participate with complete strangers and intimately share their journey, hopes and fears is perhaps a challenge.

Who better than Virginia de Groote to do such a thing then?!

Remarkably, the young ladies from St Mary's and Guilford Young Colleges had been given this privileged opportunity to spend time at Calvary's Gibson Unit listening, learning, questioning and growing. Students were witness to true bravery and loving compassion as a caring community went about their work supporting patients.

There is a video that was produced, which is proof of the impact that Virginia, Calvary staff and Palliative Care Tasmania had, not just on the students but in fact on each other. I really commend the video to those here today.

But there was certainly more that came out of this than the video. The young ladies came to better understand the subject matter, and the career opportunities. They also developed innovative thinking based on an old fashioned value of respecting and honouring our elders - a value greatly treasured by the college, the hospital and me also.

And of course these students made a friend. Virginia.

As did I in our short time together and a delightful and colourful conversation about politics, the health system and life generally after the gathering.

At this time I express my gratitude to have known Virginia and to have been able to share a tiny but unforgettable part of her journey with her. She made an impact on me and I feel humble to have learned from her brother Pat that I had an impact on her. Little did I realise that my words on the importance of a family's need to grieve, celebrate and say goodbye at a funeral like this one had an effect on Virginia. Honestly, this humbled and surprised me. It's just another gift our friend gave.

I believe, and I'm sure the young ladies will agree, that what Virginia did by opening up her life and sharing the journey with us was in fact a generous and selfless gift. It was a gift for the living. It was a gift of life because it endures to this day and will enrich more people into the future.

Others who knew her much better than I will have many more memories. I certainly know that her life made a difference. As it turns out, her life will also make a difference to some people who didn't even know Virginia but will one day have to travel their own difficult journey. I believe that more people will receive understanding, comfort and care of our future health professionals who will carry the gift that Virginia gave as a living heirloom that will keep on giving.

And so it was never really death that brought this group together on that bright winter afternoon. It was life. Virginia, her love for people, her zest for life and making the most of every day she was given.

Rest in peace.

MICHAEL FERGUSON, MP

MINISTER FOR HEALTH