A tribute to St Andrew's War Memorial Hospital by renowned Australian Poet, Rupert McCall OAM.
The spirit of St Andrew’s is a very special thing
And it echoes through the building, bed to bed and wing to wing
It’s a ghost that’s hard to quantify when accolades accrue
But the rock of its foundation lends a most compelling clue
That ‘something’ truly sacred in the fibre of its core
Memorial to qualities our country took to war
Selflessness in service when affinities abide
Honour, perseverance, hope, humility and pride
Wherever it may take you on tomorrow’s stunning dawn
The truth is shining bravely in the light where it was born
Ingredients uncompromised by time’s determination
That’s what makes this hospital a constant inspiration
The spirit of St Andrew’s was united from day one
Nineteen Forty-Eight and what was beautifully spun
Were the aims of an Auxiliary – a passionate elect
Not only raising money but community respect
The power of the people in a tight-knit kinda’ town
Doctor Harold Crawford wore a very humble crown
As the chairman first presiding when that ribbon hit the floor
The hospital was open and inherent in the score –
From the outset, through the 60s, with an appetite to lead
A team of great ambition on a mission to succeed
And very soon, achievements that attracted adulation
The spirit of St Andrew’s was renowned across the nation
The spirit of St Andrew’s is a most contagious force
The science and the medicine are paramount of course
In the ballad of ‘best practice’, it’s a stanza well-rehearsed
If breakthroughs were a race to win, so often they’d be first!
Intensive care facilities, a children’s ward to treasure
Where joy reveres bionic ears and joint replacement measures
But scan the vital organ that was beating from the start
And x-rays will reveal that it’s a matter of the heart
With cardiac charisma, so the storyline is told!
It’s a world class acclamation – it’s a medal coloured gold
It’s a standard still adhered to... and when all is done and said
It’s a torch that will be carried on the future path ahead
Yes, the progress of St Andrew’s is a blessing to embrace
Yet the fortifying factor that personifies the place
Transcending beds and budgets as the ever ‘in-betweener’
From the admin to the nurses, from the doctor to the cleaner
With a smile of true compassion and a touch endeared with care
The people of St Andrew's are its ‘who and why and where’
It isn’t manufactured or pretended on the run
As warm and reassuring as the rising of the sun
In the midst of great adversity as often is the case
The light that guides us onward needs to shine from someone’s face
Where the patient takes priority in every single way
So the duty of this hospital will dignify the day...
When I think about my grandad and the cause for which he fought
The beauty of St Andrew’s sends a reassuring thought
A true Australian freedom with a celebrated worth
Moving forward with momentum yet remaining down to earth
And its unencumbered promise waves an optimistic wand
A commitment to our health that goes above and then beyond
To the families of tomorrow who are duly reimbursed
With the simple understanding that their wellbeing comes first
The legacy is mighty where traditions proudly lurk
Now the time has come, I feel, to honour those who make it work
Yes, to thank the many hearts whose dedication does ensure
That the spirit of St Andrew’s will prevail forever more...
Rupert McCall © 2022