Stop It!

Several years ago, I was unlucky enough to suffer from a MALT lymphoma, a kind of blood cancer or what my wife calls 'Man Cancer'.

As a result I have to make occasional visits to the hospital in order to get checked out to make sure it hasn't returned. I should be fine these days but you never know.

In my role as Kindness and Gratitude Officer I was probably a bit more aware of my surroundings than I usually am. Normally I plug myself into my phone and wait for the whole ordeal to end but this time I paid attention.

I parked up and walked past signs warning me not to outstay my welcome in my parking space and went down the steps, past the pretty garden, to the Cancer Centre.

The first thing you see is the prominent reminder not to smoke. It reminds me of the row of smokers with chemotherapy drips in their arms I used to walk past on the way to receiving radiotherapy.

Next up is a sign reminding you not to take a gun into the hospital or use illegal drugs there. I wonder whether someone planning to go armed to a hospital would take any notice of it.

On entering there are a series of posters on the walls: don't be mean to the staff, don't use the fridge, don't smoke (again).

Finally, in the centre, where a welcoming fireplace might be in an older building, there is a large rack of leaflets in about 20 different languages telling you how to complain.

The reception staff are welcoming as always and it's great to see the doctor that saved my life many years ago.

If I want to complain about these lovely people, it's trivially easy for me to do so. I can do it through countless media and I'm sure the Authorities would take my complaint extremely seriously.

If my kids want to thank them for making it so their Dad can be there for them as they grow up? Nothing. I get the feeling that even if they did send a message of thanks it would be passed on and forgotten. Certainly not investigated as an example of what we should be doing more of.

If you would like to send a message of thanks, celebration, praise or gratitude to someone that saved your Dad's life you can either put a message up on our Facebook page here or go to our website here. If you would like us to set up a Thanking Wall for your organisation please either email us at info@thankandpraise.com.au or call us on +61 451 591 236.