RESPECTED Kerang general practitioner, Dr Graeme Wood has received a rare honour for four decades of service to his local hospital.
Kerang District Health has bestowed life governorship for his service as a visiting medical officer and anaesthetist.
The health service’s board president, Kyra Laughlin announced the honour at the second of two retirement farewell functions in Dr Wood’s honour.
“This is a very rare honour and is not handed out lightly,” she said.
“No-one would argue, Dr Wood, that you were not deserving of this honour.”
Dr Wood and his wife, Carolyn, were guests of honour at an afternoon tea gathering a day after a similar public function to mark his retirement from Fitzroy Street Medical Centre.
Kerang District Health staff presented poet and musical tributes to the popular doctor, who was described as a methodical, reliable, supportive doctor and a mentor to nursing staff and other doctors.
Theatre nurse unit manager, Margy Christian said that Dr Wood was calm in an emergency, loved sharing his knowledge and was precise with his paperwork.
“He is multi-skilled and was never afraid to provide a prayer to help us…”, she said.
Veteran nurse, Jenny Makeham reflected on the many changes over the past four decades and Maree Neville said that Dr Wood was a compassionate, reliable and humble man.
“It was a pleasure to work alongside you,” she told him.
Health service staff presented a number of gifts on behalf of the organisation.
Dr Wood said that he was “a timid little doctor” when he came to Kerang in 1976 and he thanked hospital staff for their unwavering support.
“I needed your help and for that I thank you,” he said.
Dr Wood said that Dr Lindsay Sherriff was his major career mentor, who had given him the confidence to carry out his work.
“Linds and Di [Sherriff] have always been positive influences and they have given me the confidence and enhanced my skills,” he said.
Dr Wood said that teamwork typified the work at Kerang District Health.
A firm believer in the power of prayer, the committed Christian said that God had answered many prayers and he urged local people to continue to pray that we can attract more doctors.
“Whenever I have prayed [here], others have joined me. If you didn’t pray with us, I knew you were still with us.”
