The Heart of Hospice

Ian W. Toal is a nurse in Barrie, Ontario.

This somewhat eccentric little book sets out to be both a biography and
a philosophical document, but unfortunately doesn’t really achieve
success as either.

Dorothy Ley was a physician and pioneer of palliative care in Canada.
The book was started when Ley was dying from cancer, and was to be a
reflection of her views on palliative care. She was, however, unable to
complete the document, so Harry van Bommel finished it in what he hoped
“would be the spirit of her own writing.”

The first part of the book contains a series of tributes to Dr. Ley,
which is followed by a brief biographical sketch. The second part—the
core of the book, written by Ley—outlines her views on the principles
and practice of palliative-care. This is followed by a section on
palliative care success stories. The appendices include a list of
resources, Dr. Ley’s curriculum vitae, and eulogies of her.

The result is less than satisfactory. The biographical sketch, for
example, is too short to offer much insight into Dorothy Ley as a
person. The tributes and eulogies may have been included with the best
of intentions, but the doctor herself would have been somewhat
embarrassed by the way they distract from the main thrust of her
ideas—which are extremely valuable. Ley sees palliative care for the
terminally ill as a measure “aimed not at curing a disease but at
improving the quality of their life.” She outlines how this type of
care differs from “conventional” medicine, and offers suggestions
for people who may be involved in palliative care, in either a
professional, a personal, or a volunteer capacity.

As an introduction to palliative care, much of this book has value, but
because of its scattered structure, the overall value is diminished.