 This
is a tribute to someone who is working in an area that many
people, due to ignorance, intolerance or just plain bigotry
would rather not approach. This heroine, Ysobel Gourlay, works
as a pharmacist in the rough part of town. Her specialty? AIDS
victims.
Despite
all we know about AIDS today, many people are afraid of catching
it off toilet seats, by touching AIDS victims, by breathing
the same air as them. Instead, Ysobel is in daily close contact
with her patients who may be drug addicts, prostitutes, gay
men or just very unlucky people. She not only dispenses their
drugs and takes time to explain the drugs and their side effects
to her patients, but she also takes an interest in their lives,
their loves and their pain. In so doing, she becomes linked
to them for the sometimes long and excruciating journey to
recovery. Or not recovery. That’s what makes Ysobel such a
hero. She becomes part of their lives, and they become part
of hers. A big part.
You
might think this would make Ysobel hard or depressed by her
work. No! Instead she is always optimistic and cheery. Always
looking for ways to share the funny side of life with her
patients- and her patients often have hilarious stories, ones
she occasionally shares with us (no names mentioned of course).
Sometimes, after a long day of work, for a fleeting moment
the terrible impact of AIDS is reflected in her face. On these
days, we know not to ask her about her work.
Ysobel
is well respected at work and often works well beyond her
regular hours to get the job done well. She lectures regularly
to nurses and doctors in the field. She’s modest about her
work and never brags about her achievements, even when this
year she received recognition as “AIDS Pharmacist of the Year”
for the whole of Great Britain.
Do
I need more reasons why she is my heroine? Perhaps not. But
to me, she will always be my heroine because she is my big
sister. My smart, wise, sensitive and courageous big sister.
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