News

Opening of new Reflection Garden

Nov 01, 2016

Nambour Selangor Private Hospital will officially open its lovely new Reflection Garden in the courtyard of the Miles Savill Wing on Friday 4 November at 10.00am.

Sandra Moore, Chief Executive Officer said the occasion marked the transformation of the former concrete courtyard into an inviting garden, the style of which was inspired in part by a cottage garden. It mixes informal design with a homely feel and a variety of ornamental and edible plants.

The loss of a friend and colleague at Nambour Selangor Private Hospital was the impetus for Miles Savill Wing staff to create the garden within their palliative care unit that looks after people in the last days of their life.

Previously a visibly and energetically uninviting space, the Miles Savill courtyard was in need of an aesthetic renovation and energetic infusion. Three nurses, Katreena Cook, Christa Theron and Paula Shirley took on the task of reimagining the space from functional, cold concrete to a miniature garden, awash with light.

“We wanted to make over the courtyard to and create a calm, pretty space. The nurses embraced it as a personal project and volunteered their time to bring it to fruition,” Sandra said. “It took six months to complete the project.”

“Our aim was to nurture a space where people could sit and reflect on lives well lived, enjoyment shared and memories that will transcend time for patients, families, visitors and staff.”

Over a number of years, many families have generously donated funds to the Miles Savill Palliative Care unit in gratitude for the care given to palliative patients and their families. These kind donations have now seen the culmination of the nurses’ personal project to carve out a more natural oasis for people to metaphorically hold one another during one of the most difficult times in their lives – grieving for the loss of life.

Palliative Care at Nambour Selangor

Palliative care service is a specialised area of healthcare that focuses on relieving and preventing the suffering of patients. Palliative medicine is appropriate for patients in all disease stages, including those undergoing treatment for curable illnesses and those living with chronic diseases, as well as patients who are nearing the end of life.

Palliative medicine utilises a multidisciplinary approach to patient care, relying on input from physicians, pharmacists, nurses, chaplains, social workers, psychologists and other allied health professionals in formulating a plan of care to relieve suffering in all areas of a patient's life. This multidisciplinary approach allows the palliative care team to address physical, emotional, spiritual and social concerns that arise with advanced illness.

Miles Savill Wing

The Miles Savill Wing is named in honour of Dr Miles Savill.

For more than 50 years, he provided medical care to Sunshine Coast residents, at all hours of the day and night, calming fevers, stitching wounds, delivering babies and more. He was a highly regarded and much-liked doctor, who passed away in 2011, aged 82.

Originally from Goondiwindi, he practiced at Stanthorpe before moving to Cotton Tree and then in 1955 to Nambour, where he stayed.

Dr Savill joined the board of Nambour Selangor Private Hospital in 1959 and was Medical Director from 1960 to 1986.

He met his wife of 31 years, Gloria, while she was working as a nurse in the maternity section. His contribution to Selangor was recognised when the new hospital wing was named after him in 2007.