Dr Thérèse Vanier, a contemporary of Cicely Saunders at St Thomas’s medical school, London, was the first woman to be appointed to the consultant staff (haematologist) at St Thomas’s Hospital. She then worked as part-time consultant at St Christopher’s Hospice from 1972 to 1988.
As a French-speaker and excellent teacher, Thérèse took part in television programmes, debates and panel discussions in French-speaking countries and established regular study days at St Christopher’s, conducted entirely in French, which continued long after her retirement.
The reflection has been written by David Oliviere, Social Worker and former Director of Education at St Christopher’s Hospice, London, UK, and Avril Jackson, Information Officer, European Association for Palliative Care. It can be accessed in full on the EAPC blog.
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