Part of our MMM history is the foundation
begun at the end of 1961 in Taiwan, formerly known as Formosa. Mother Mary had
met a Columban missionary, Father Aiden McGrath, who was encouraging missionary
groups to establish houses in Taiwan as a stepping stone for entry into China.
Two MMM Sisters, Maria Glancy and Kieran
Saunders, were the pioneers for MMM’s first and only mission in the East. Already
experienced missionaries, Maria had been matron at our hospital in Anua,
Nigeria and Kieran had been matron in Makiungu, Tanganyika (later Tanzania). They
were to staff a hospital planned by the Swiss Bethlehem Fathers for Taitung, located
in a mountainous region in the southeast. We had been invited to assist
especially with obstetrics. Several Sisters eventually made their home there
and St. Mary’s Hospital served the mainly poor, aboriginal people. However, it
was a mission isolated from most of our other houses and the languages used
were challenging, so regretfully, in 1974 our Chapter decided that we would withdraw.
We handed over to the Daughters of
Charity, who continue to serve there.
So there was great excitement when, out of
the blue in September, we received a phone call at the Communications
Department from Sense Chen, the current CEO of St. Mary’s Hospital. He and
Nicole Wu, an aromatherapist, were attending an aromatherapy conference at
Trinity College Dublin. The purpose of Botanica 2012 was to ‘obtain an
up-to-date global overview of the practical potentials, challenges and future
of clinical aromatherapy and herbal therapeutics’. Their visit to Ireland
coincided with the 50th anniversary of the Hospital. They wanted to
visit and thank MMM for the seeds we had planted in Taiwan.
As with many similar health institutions
providing services for the poor, St. Mary’s has experienced ups and downs over
the years, mainly due to the difficulties in obtaining funding. Funding now
comes mainly from local sources. It is presently a 29-bed unit, offering many
general services, with the exception of surgery because there are no doctors.
Sense explained that they want to be seen as a healing centre, changing from a
hospital atmosphere. They brought us photographs showing a home-like setting at
the entrance.
A traumatic event was responsible for much
of the current focus. Several years ago, a severe typhoon caused terrible
damage and loss of life. While help was available to repair injuries and
damaged infrastructures, it seemed that little could be done for those who had
experienced longer-lasting trauma and stress. St. Mary’s was the first hospital
in Taiwan to use aromatherapy, introduced as part of a holistic approach to
improve people’s quality of life. Initially the medical staff saw this therapy
as peripheral and not very important so aromatherapists were trained to give
treatment.
A hospice unit was opened and aromatherapy with
massage was seen to improve the quality of life for the dying. Through the
generosity of three companies that produce essential oils, the aromatherapy is
available free of charge for both the patient and family.
The staff, with thirty volunteers, engage
in health promotion, encouraging people to be responsible for their own health.
On the compound is an organic farm so that organic food can be provided for
patients. In addition an outreach home care centre provides 1000 meals per day
for poor people in the community.
Neither Chen nor Nicole had met the MMMs
and they only knew their Chinese names, but they had brought pictures of St. Mary’s from its early days to the present. There was
much excitement in identifying the Sisters, and Chen told us that some nurses
who have worked in the hospital for over forty years still remember and miss
the Sisters.
He said that he and Nicole appreciated this
opportunity to meet with us because we have much in common. We have the same
desire to provide care with love, especially in service of the poor. On behalf
of the people of Taitung, he wished to thank MMM for bringing new life and for
leaving so much behind.
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