Ambulance Wish Queensland Grants Double Wish for Helen and Paul

After 34 years together, a lifetime shared, a family raised and forever memories created, Helen and Paul have one final wish, to have their family reunited in a special place away from a hospital. On Friday, Ambulance Wish Queensland was only too happy to help, arranging for our first double wish, as Helen and Paul visited Mount Coot-tha Botanical Gardens to spend time with their family by the duck pond on a beautiful spring afternoon.

Paul and Helen met at Happy Rock in Gladstone before moving to Cairns where they married and eventually relocated to Brisbane. Central to their relationship has been their family, children Kathryn and Jackson, their much-loved cat of 18 years Candy, their shared interest in travel and careers in hospitality. But in recent years, times have not been so kind to Paul and Helen, both of whom are approaching their end-of-life in palliative care; Helen at St Vincent’s Private Hospital Brisbane and Paul at home.

Paul told Ambulance Wish Queensland how much spending an afternoon together would mean for him, Helen and their family “We have always loved the Botanic Gardens, with Helen spending 15 years here catering for events for the Tropical Garden Society. As a family, we have not been able to spend time together outside of the hospital for such a long time, so to be able to spend time together, to share a slice of cheesecake and Helen’s favourite strawberry milkshake means everything to us,” said Paul.

Ambulance Wish Queensland’s Shyla Mills takes up the story “Ambulance Wish Queensland’s mission is to create forever memories from a last wish, and for Helen, Paul and their family, today has been special.”

“It was a pleasure for everyone involved to help deliver our first double wish for Helen and Paul. From Paul’s beautiful homemade cheesecake to the joy on their faces, as they came together as a family, it was a privilege to provide a few moments of normality and happiness,” said Ms Mills.

Ambulance Wish Queensland partner Mr Oli Steele, CEO of St Vincent’s Private Hospital Brisbane was delighted to be involved, “With our partners at Palliative Care Queensland, Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Health, and Ambulance Wish Queensland, St Vincent’s Private Hospital Brisbane is incredibly privileged to be part of this event with Helen and Paul, as we are to provide palliative care and support to hundreds of Queenslanders experiencing life-limiting illnesses each year.

“St Vincent’s has been providing palliative care to Queenslanders since the 1950s. Moments like this never stop being special to us. We’re so grateful we’ve been able to play our role in facilitating something that Helen and Paul’s family will cherish for a long, long time,” said Mr Steele.

For Helen and Paul, there is nothing more special than enjoying time with their family in a place that means so much to them. Today, for a moment in time that will last forever, their last wish came true.

Ambulance Wish Queensland would like tothank our wish team and volunteers for our first double wish, Yamuna, Alicea, Arti, Sue, John, Jason and Paul B for their amazing help on the day and our supporters and partners Queensland Ambulance Service, Queensland Health and St Vincent’s Private Hospital Brisbane, without whom Helen and Paul’s last wish would not have been possible.

About Ambulance Wish Queensland

Ambulance Wish Queensland is a program of the charity Palliative Care Queensland.

Palliative Care Queensland (PCQ) is an independent not-for-profit peak body and charity supporters Queenslanders to live, die and grieve well. To donate to this wonderful program www.ambulancewishqld.org.au

For more information on Ambulance Wish Queensland visit: https://ambulancewishqld.org.au/ 

Ambulance Wish Queensland is run entirely on donations, if you would like to support us to deliver last wishes, please visit https://ambulancewishqld.org.au/donate/