Little Haven nurse Bronwyn McFarlane awarded for services

Bronwyn McFarlane, 71, is the 2021 recipient of the Palliative Care in Queensland Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding work with those approaching the end of their life.

Bronwyn McFarlane, 71, was the 2021 recipient for the Palliative Care in Queensland Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding work with those approaching the end of their life.

A Gympie palliative care nurse who has spent more than 22 years in the industry was awarded the 2021 Palliative Care in Queensland Lifetime Achievement Award for her outstanding service to Queenslanders approaching the end of their life.

Bronwyn McFarlane, 71, has worked at Little Haven Palliative Care Inc in Henry Street, Gympie, for 22 years and in that time has helped countless people.

She started working as a nurse in 1967 at the Royal Alexandra Children’s Hospital in Sydney before transitioning into palliative care with Little Haven in 1999.

She said on Thursday she felt humbled to receive the award, and attributed her win to everyone she works with at Little Haven.

“It’s a great delight to see the recognition of what everyone who has been at Little Haven has done to make Little Haven what it is,” Ms McFarlane said.

She said she chose to work in palliative care because of the special connection with patients and because she knew she could make the end of people’s lives easier.

“I can say I do have a geographic memory of people. I know people I care for. I can recall stories about them and their life and their families,” she said.

She said it was an honour to share such a significant time with people.

She plans to retire in July 2021.