Afghan Nurse
May 14, 2008
KINGSTON-AREA NURSES GOT A FIRST HAND ACCOUNT OF WHAT IT'S LIKE TO WORK IN A FRONT LINE ARMY HOSPITAL IN AFGHANISTAN. USING A SATELLITE VIDEO FEED TO LOCAL NURSES, CAPTAIN MARY ANN GILCHRIST SPOKE ABOUT THE DAILY CHALLENGES THEY FACE. .... INCLUDING A LANGUAGE BARRIER, A LACK OF SUPPLIES AND THE OCCASIONAL ROCKET ATTACK. BUT SHE ALSO TOLD A HEART WARMING STORY OF A FATHER WHO WALKED OVER 500 KILOMETRES TO THE HOSPITAL CARRYING HIS SICK CHILD IN HIS ARMS. FOR MANY IN THIS ROOM, IT WAS CHANCE TO PUT THEIR OWN CONCERNS INTO PERSPECTIVE. MARG ATKINSON "WE OFTEN TAKE MANY THINGS FOR GRANTED HERE. AND THE INSIGHT THAT SHE HAS PROVIDED AND THE EXAMPLES SHE GAVE OF THE HARDSHIPS THAT FACE NOT ONLY THE MILITARY BUT THE FAMILIES AND OTHER FOLKS IN THOSE AREA'S. THE HARDSHIPS THEY FACE ON A DAILY BASIS REALLY DOESN'T COMPARE TO WHAT WE OFTEN CONCERN OURSELVES WITH." CAPTAIN MARY ANN GILCHRIST IS ON HER 3RD TOUR OF DUTY IN AFGHANISTAN. OTHERWISE SHE CALLS CFB KINGSTON HOME.
