Biography & True Story Books:

Better than Nothing

A Nurse and an Indigenous Community in the Australian Outback
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Paperback / softback
$49.00
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Description

This engaging yet powerful memoir breaks the boundary between popular and scholarly accounts of Indigenous life in a remote Outback region in Western Australia. This is the story of a former nun who was guided by a spiritual quest to help the poorest and most neglected people in her country, Australia. For 15 incredible years (1981-1996), she lived and worked as a remote-area community nurse in an Indigenous community in the Heart of the Pilbara. In recalling a variety of her experiences, "Philla" inadvertently provides a gateway to the unvarnished history about life in a remote drinking town. The importance of the Royal Flying Doctor Service, the impact of alcohol on family life and domestic violence, child sexual abuse, cultural differences, mental illness and social injustice are recounted. The ethnographic quality of her writing brings attention to the vulnerability of under-educated Indigenous people, to the failings of legislation, and to the "cracks in the system" that enable exploitation, inadequate services and abuse of power. Some of her stories are sweet, some are funny, but many are heart-rending. We must read her book in its entirety in order to see this world through her eyes. In doing so, we are drawn into this community and leave with a deeper understanding of Indigenous people whose voices have yet to be heard. Philomena's successes in achieving 100% school attendance, preventing suicides, and gaining the love and respect of this remote community prove it is possible to better the lives of Indigenous people.

Author Biography:

After 20 years of convent life, Philomena studied nursing and worked in a variety of medical settings (geriatrics, maternity and psychiatry) and volunteered overseas in Bangladesh and Calcutta. Guided by a spiritual quest to work with "the poorest and most neglected people" in her own country, Australia, "Philla" served as a remote-area community nurse in the Pilbara for 15 years (1981-1996). Since retiring, Philomena has continued her life of service by visiting prisoners, the sick and the elderly, and volunteering within the Catholic church. Marjorie MacKinnon, PhD, is a retired academic. She worked in universities in Canada, Hong Kong and Australia. She met Philomena while playing bridge on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia. After hearing some of Philomena's stories, she suspended her life of ease to ensure this book was written.
Release date NZ
April 1st, 2024
Author
Contributor
  • With Marjorie MacKinnon
Pages
214
Audience
  • General (US: Trade)
Dimensions
148x210x14
ISBN-13
9780645969108
Product ID
38707371

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