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Many people would know Teresa Spencer-Plane through her work with the first palliative care unit to be established in NSW at the Mount Carmel surgical hospital in 1978. The 25 bed unit was staffed with a full multidisciplinary team.

Teresa was also actively involved with the Outstretched Hand Foundation which was established in 1980 to support a palliative home care programme.

“The foundation also gave scholarships to attend the Montreal International Seminar and visit St. Christopher’s Hospice in London.

“We also published the Pallicom Journal from 1982 to 1994.”

Teresa also taught palliative care through Charles Sturt University and later as a guest lecturer at the University of Western Sydney. Teresa wrote to us and said:

“Now 83 I still work in Palliative care knowing one is never too old to hold a hand and let  the person know you care and that they are not alone.”

These days Teresa maintains her interest and commitment to palliative care as a volunteer with Montefiore aged care in eastern Sydney.

Pic: Teresa Spencer-Plane at the launch of National Palliative Care Week 2016