Keith Cox’s autobiography starts with his childhood in country New South Wales and goes on to detail his remarkable life as a nurse, eventuating as a nurse practitioner specialising in the care and treatment of cancer patients. Keith has devoted his life to bringing care and comfort to those who have needed him, and along the way he has made enduring friendships and earned the everlasting gratitude of countless people.
In the earlier part of the book Keith talks of his large, loving family and the beginnings and evolution of his career. The next section, though, was where I became emotionally involved with the story. Keith tells stories of his involvement with his patients, and anyone who has been close to a cancer sufferer will understand how someone like Keith can bring great comfort to patients and also to their families. His goodness and kindness shine through from the pages and his competence and efficiency were obviously recognised by the leading cancer specialists in the State.
I was especially interested in Keith’s visits to hospitals and care centres in Papua New Guinea. It seemed like hospitals and health care conditions hadn’t changed since we were there in the late 1980s to the time he was there, and for the same reasons. I must admit I had to put the book down for a while because of the tears welling in my eyes after reading about Keith’s efforts in Moresby and Lae.
Keith has undertaken a lot of good works which I hope a lot of people will read about. He is a religious man who practises his religion in the way it is meant to be in his love for his fellow human beings.
To quote Anthony Warlow: Keith Cox “… is one of this country’s silent heroes.”
Published by Macmillan
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