For the past nine years, Andrea has been sharing her time with us, volunteering one day a week to help escort patients. But before that, she had a long and rewarding career as a nurse, including for three years in the Australian Army.
Andrea was just 22 years old when she completed her nursing training and joined the Royal Australian Army Nursing Corps as a First Lieutenant. She was posted to Townsville in 1969, where she and two other nurses cared for injured and ill soldiers, including members of the 6RAR Infantry Battalion who had returned from war in Vietnam.
Andrea would also fly every three months by helicopter to support a medic based at the Tropical Trials Unit in Tully, a location used for its extremely wet conditions to test a range of equipment.
“The Army hospital was located away from the base in the quarantine station, it was overlooking the water and a lovely place for the soldiers. Some soldiers returned to Townsville with injuries, both physically and mentally,” Andrea said.
Some of those soldiers still stand out in Andrea’s mind today, including one who she met again by chance years later in Brisbane. He remembered her instantly.
“When he was in hospital, we had talked about love and I had told him no matter his injuries, he would find somebody who would love him for everything else about him. All those years later, he ran up and called out ‘Sister Morrow’ and he was so proud to show me he had found that love.”
Pictured: Andrea meeting the late Duke of Edinburgh in Townsville during the 1970 Royal Tour.