To the Beatson yesterday not for treatment or a clinic but for a presentation. Dr Richard Souter, Haematology Consultant, and Audrey Robb, Myeloma Clinical Nurse Specialist, have been working on a project to gain accreditation for the Beatson as a center of excellence for Myeloma. There were eight categories of assessment and the Myeloma team achieved ‘excellent’ ratings in six. The award and accreditation was presented by a representative of Myeloma UK.
It was a privilege to be there as someone who continues to benefit from the dedication and expertise of the Myeloma Team. In his remarks Dr Soutar paid tribute to the stoicism and patience of patients through the years who sometimes have had to endure long waits at clinics as well as demanding treatment. That has to be set alongside the commitment of the medical staff to do their best for every patient in face of an ever increasing case load. As a cancer Myeloma is still in the category of ‘rare’ but it is being diagnosed more readily and the pressure to provide an adequate response increases. It was good to see that all the efforts of the Beatson in relation to Myeloma have been recognised nationally.
There is a sense in which it was appropriate that the award was presented during Holy Week when the needs of others was the priority of Jesus to the extent that he surrendered his very life. Thursday saw a number of events leading to the Cross but that with most detail is the washing of the disciples feet by Jesus. (John 13: 1-17) This was an astonishing thing to the disciples. It was a job that would normally fall to a slave and yet here was the Master stripped of his clothes with a towel around his waist washing the feet of each of his friends. There was a message here concerning the humility of Jesus but he made it clear that he was also setting an example:
“You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.” (John 13: 13-17)
Jesus making it clear that whatever should fall to each of the disciples in the future at the heart of their work for the Kingdom should be the commitment to set aside their own personal priorities and focus on the needs of others. The self-sacrifice of Jesus was not just something to honour but something to embrace in the life of discipleship.
Here’s Paul:
‘In your relationships with one another, have the same mindset as Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death— even death on a cross!’ (Philippians 2: 5-8)
Whenever this ‘mindset’ results in the giving of time, energy and resources for the good of others the values of Kingdom of God are pressing on our lives and showing us the way forward. These signs of self-giving are to be celebrated and embraced. What we receive out of the compassion of others is our motivation to give for the benefit of others.
