One more day

Last week, I was lucky enough to attend an event where I heard incredible advocates for health care and in particular, the rights of terminally ill patients speak.

You know how occasionally you hear someone say something that sticks with you for a very long time; a phrase, an observation or thought that moves you deeply?

Well last week, a patient advocate called Ann spoke about the importance of medication. She explained to those listening that to the terminally ill, the right treatment and access to good medication can make the difference to an immeasurable extent.

Whether it is prolonging lives for a year, a month or even one more day. It can mean the difference between whether or not they their child start school, marry, graduate college or even be born.

Irrespective of whether you are a doctor, nurse, porter, pharmacist, scientist, administrator or sales person, if in some way you helped to bring that medicine to life, you have given people the gift of one more day.

On so many levels that affected me. Not only for the patients and those who serve them but for all of us.

What would you give for one more day? What would you do with it?

Maybe, we are so busy, so much of the time looking beyond, that we forget the value of the moment or of what really makes our lives matter.

I am going to take time every morning to think on that, not just for me but for those I love and those I work and play with…just one more day.