Staff member’s poetry helps others cope with loss            
Wednesday April 2, 2008 -- Deron Hamel
Having lost three important people in her life served as an impetus for Judy Wagstaff to put her thoughts down on paper. Through her grief, Wagstaff, a 16-year veteran at Meadow Park London, is hoping to help others.

Following the passing of her father, sister and husband, Wagstaff, a health-care aide at the London long-term care home, began writing poetry that relayed her thoughts on death and dying. When others began reading her poetry, they encouraged Wagstaff to share her writing with others who had experienced loss.

“These feelings all came together and I showed a couple of the girls at work and they said, ‘Wow, you should do more,’” recalls Wagstaff, adding that writing helped her come to terms with her losses.

Wagstaff, who is a member of the Forest City Eagles club, was telling a fellow member one day about her literary endeavour, and he encouraged her to have copies made.

Last November, she had 100 copies of her book, Celestial Poetry, printed. The 15 poems in the book are accompanied by 15 of Wagstaff’s paintings. The books are being sold for $15 each with all money raised from the sale of the books going to support the Meadow Park palliative care team and the Forest City Eagles No. 4060.

Wagstaff explains the benefits people who have lost loved ones might get from reading her work.

“It might bring peace to them . . . they might be able to relate to some of the experiences,” she says. “I hope they’ll get as much joy out of it as I did.”

Robyn Lyttle, activity co-ordinator at Meadow Park London, describes Wagstaff as a devoted staff member. Publishing her poetry, says Lyttle, is one more example of Wagstaff’s dedication to residents and staff members.

“Making this book helped her through her losses in her life, but it’s also helped Meadow Park’s palliative care team, so that just goes to show that she goes above and beyond and that her primary focus is there residents’ care and supporting them in any way that she can,” says Lyttle.

Copies of Celestial Poetry available for $15 each and can be purchased by calling the home at (519) 686-0484.

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