Poet’s haiku commended

A HAIKU poem about moments of kindness in a regional hospital has earned high praise in a national award for a Bendigo writer.

Dr Michael Leach, a senior lecturer in education and research at Monash University’s School of Rural Health in Bendigo, received a high commendation in the inaugural Hush Kindness in Healthcare Writing Prize.

The Hush Foundation, which ran the program, is known throughout Australia and internationally for its use of the arts in pursuing a vision of healthcare that treats everyone with kindness.

The prize competition attracted a large number of entries highlighting how kindness matters when receiving or delivering healthcare.

It was organised in honour of Castlemaine general practitioner Dr Kath O’Connor, who had just finished the second draft of her novel Inheritance when she died of ovarian cancer in 2019 at the age of 48.

Dr O’Connor’s colleagues at Goldfields Medical Group approached the foundation about a prize through their desire to honour her memory, her love of writing and her attitude of kindness in her professional and private lives.

First place went to retired academic and writer Jo Rendle from Canberra, who submitted a piece about her late brother, a general practitioner, called A different kind of doctor.

But judges also made particular mention of Dr Leach’s contribution, which was titled Moments of Kindness in a Regional Hospital.

“I have professional and personal connections with healthcare,” he said. “As part of my Monash University role, I serve as co-lead of the Australian and New Zealand Association for Health Professional Educators.

“In terms of my personal connection with healthcare, I have lived experience as a person receiving healthcare and as a family member of people receiving healthcare.

“Most notably, early in the COVID-19 pandemic, I spent time in an intensive care unit with my mother during her final days.

“Over the years, I have experienced and witnessed many instances of kindness in healthcare.”

Dr Leach, who is a published poet, said he actively encouraged kindness in healthcare as part of his work.