Parra News June 8 2021

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Tuesday, June 8, 2021
Silver Chain are
Earth’s angels
NICOLA BARTON
After her husband died of cancer
14 years ago, North Parramatta
resident Cheryl Row’s two adult
sons moved back into the family home.
What she would have never imagined at
the time was that in the future she would
end up being the primary carer for her
eldest son William, who unfortunately,
passed away recently from cancer at just
44-years-old.
For the past seven months, her son
received at-home palliative care by
government-funded not-for-profit service,
Silver Chain.
In light of Palliative Care Week, Ms Row
is championing the importance of end of
life care.
“The Silver Chain nurses made it possible
for Billy to stay at home, which is where
he wanted to be,” she said.
“I couldn’t have done this without them;
they were absolute angels.”
Early last year, William Row started feeling
stomach pains but doctors could not
work out what was causing the discomfort
– until it was too late.
By late July, he was diagnosed with latestage
lung cancer that had spread to his
liver, lymph nodes and bones.
He tried just two rounds of chemotherapy
and immunotherapy, but had to
stop treatment in October after becoming
too weak.
“Billy then started getting palliative care
from Silver Chain,” Ms Row said.
“They came every day, sometimes twice
a day, helping us with everything, whether
it was getting advice or managing his pain
medication.
“One time I called them at midnight and
they were at our house within 14 minutes.
“They always came in with a smile and
cheered him up.”
Ms Row said it was her son’s wish to stay
at home as it made him feel more accessible
for visitors.
“It meant so much that Billy could stay
at home with me and his brother Brad
and have everyone else around him,” she
explained.
Silver Chain delivers in-home palliative
care services to 7,000 Australians every
year through its palliative care team of
more than 500 staff.
Its NSW Palliative Care Service provides
in-home palliative care services in western
Sydney for people with a life-limiting
LOCAL NEWS
Local William Row passed away recently from cancer.
illness or condition.
The palliative care team consists of
nurses, clinical nurse consultants and
care aides.
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