Meet Dr Marion (Currie) Taylor, North Island New Zealand
Marion is a Chitambo ‘girl’, growing up at Chitambo in the 1960s, where her father, Dr Hamilton Currie, was a doctor. Marion is, herself, a medical doctor (GP and Hospice Director) in North Island, New Zealand. She is author of the book ‘Livingstone’s Hospital: The Story of Chitambo’, which presents the history of Chitambo Hospital from its inception in 1908 to the present day, including the long-standing links between
Scotland and Zambia: http://www.authorhouse.co.uk/Bookstore/BookDetail.aspx?BookId=SKU-000432751
Here is Marion’s Christmas letter to you:
Wanganui, New Zealand
Dear Friends of Chitambo,
Christmas Greetings to you all!
2013 has been memorable for me on account of a brief and unexpected visit to Scotland. I had the opportunity to attend a course on teaching Palliative Care, in Liverpool at the end of September, and was able to spend a few days with Jo and Richard in Penicuik. Jo enabled me to “gate-crash” at the Livingstonia Fellowship meeting in Edinburgh on Saturday 5th
October. This was most fortuitous for me as the programme included a thought-provoking talk by
historian Jack Thompson on the mythology that has evolved around the figure of David Livingstone, both in Scotland and in Africa.
It was lovely to meet up again with many familiar faces from the missions of Zambia and Malawi, and to hear about the work of the Edinburgh Medical Missionary Society (who sponsored my medical elective in Zambia in 1980). Every two years they organize a sponsored bike ride through Malawi and the proceeds go to a hospital. Jo wasted no opportunity to ask if they could organize such an event for Chitambo Hospital!
I was also allowed to give a short talk about my book -“Livingstone’s Hospital, the story of Chitambo”, and I had a few copies which were sold over a cup of tea, with the proceeds going to Friends of Chitambo.
Jo and I visited the Livingstone exhibition at the national Library of Scotland- “Picturing Africa- Illustrating Livingstone’s Travels”. It was intriguing to learn about the wrangles between the writer and the publisher. It’s a shame that the NLS misspelt Chitambo (Chitomba) in their booklet, but I forgive them as they were so helpful to me when I was researching my book.
Back at work in Wanganui, the trip seems like a lovely dream… hopefully one of those recurring ones!
May you all have a peaceful and happy Christmas.
Warm regards,
Marion (Currie) Taylor.
Here is Marion discussing her book with Livingstonia Fellowship Secretary David Bone, who grew up in Malawi.
Dr. Marion (Currie) Taylor signs copies of ‘Livingstone’s Hospital’ in aid of Chitambo
No comments:
Post a Comment