December 2023 35 Jeannette was a very special lady. A lady of many layers. Outer layers of a troubled soul, despair, heartbreak, torment and anguish. But tucked away inside all of that, she was gentle, humble, honest, loyal and kind. With a heart for giving all she had to her patients, to her work, to her garden, to anything she set her heart, mind and hands to. If one had to sum Jeannette up in one word, it would be FRAGILE. It was a privilege to know her. I wish I could have done more to rescue her from herself and the internal torment and anguish she lived with. She had so much to give but lacked the belief and knowledge of her true worth. There were moments when the true Jen flourished and it warmed the heart to see her with joy and contentment. Where did THAT Jen go? She was robbed of that true self and the pressures of the veterinary career left her ravaged and engulfed by the dark cloud of oppression. She was left with such internal torment and anguish to the point of no hope and the only exit was the act of taking her own life. It is just so so sad! Equally sad that she is not the only veterinary colleague that we have lost to the same overwhelming hopelessness. There have been many others and we have to ask ourselves surely there should be more that we can do to save future others from such hopeless despair? We will miss you, Jen, your life was not in vain! To any other troubled souls out there: 1 Corinth 13:13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three, but the greatest of these is love. The greatest is LOVE, but HOPE is grouped there with faith and love, so it must be important. HOPE is a positive imagination. HOPE is an anchor. HOPE is the confident expectation of good. PLEASE practise HOPE. Find something to HOPE for, and have a VISION filled with HOPE. v Lorna Daves (Hulett) SAVA Members: Dr Michael Edward James: 02/08/1942 – 04/04/2022 We honour and remember the contributions made by our colleagues who recently passed away. We honour their contribution to our profession and society in general and pray that their families and loved ones will find the strength to carry them through these times of bereavement.
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