St John crew grants a very special patient’s final wish

Working for St John WA isn’t all about lights and sirens, priority one calls, and life-threatening emergencies.

While plenty of it is, a big part of what the organisation does has nothing to do with high-stress, high-stakes situations.

Sometimes the job of an ambulance crew takes a different turn, and involves fulfilling the last request of a very ill patient.

This week, St John patient transfer officers Paul Carey and Sharon Colledge were privileged to be able to grant a very special patient’s final wish to see the ocean one more time before being taken into palliative care.

The patient, a woman in her 80s, wanted to feel the cool breeze on her face and the warmth of the sunshine, while looking out over the Indian Ocean.

After receiving approval to make a detour, Paul and Sharon made this possible.

St John WA’s Patient Transfer Service provides a service for those in the community who need extra help getting to and from medical appointments, for those who need mobility support, and for regional clients needing transport to hospital.

Officers working in this team are every bit as dedicated to their jobs as any other frontline worker, and this visit to the beach went above and beyond the call of duty.

Being able to help bring some joy into this patient’s life is something St John is very proud to have been able to provide.

It’s what we do. For the service of humanity.