Just occasionally, out of the blue of an ordinary day, comes a voice that cuts through ‘stuff’ true as a sword.

I heard Merope Mills speaking on the morning news and stopped my rush in a heartbeat.

In 2021 her daughter, Martha, not quite 14, fell off her bicycle and injured herself. In hospital her condition deteriorated, but the family were unable to get a second opinion on her treatment in time to save her life. Now Merope Mills is campaigning to change this, to make it easier for patients to get assessed by a different medical team if they or their families are concerned by signs of rapid deterioration, and they feel the care being given is not right.

Every time I hear Merope Mills talk about what she hopes will result from Martha’s Rule, I stop and listen. My blood sinks at her story but my hopes rise at her voice. It sounds so full of scalpeled expertise, so urgent and fresh with pain. I hope it will be able to cut through the ‘systems’ that cost her and her family so dear.

Here’s a link to an article with more information about Martha’s Rule.

Copyright Georgie Knaggs & The Phraser 2023