by Dr Mark Taubert, Consultant in Palliative Medicine, Velindre Cancer Centre, Cardiff

On  July 23, 2016, Dr. Kate Granger died at St Gemma’s Hospice.

Goodbye  Kate.

Some words. Where can we live, but days? A message you sent me in October 2013 read, “I have high expectations of myself & what I can achieve – I know these are set a little high but I do like a challenge!”

And what you have achieved. There are many wonderful tributes to you, and they are all filled with gratitude and admiration at what you have been able to change. We thought amongst the many posts, blogs and articles, this particular one from Ali Cracknell was notably poignant.

So, to remain brief but to the point: here at BMJ Supportive& Palliative Care, you will be remembered and we, too, are amongst the many who marvel at what you have created. Your presence in life and on social media, your sense of humour, coupled with that plain-speaking honesty and directness, were humbling. Extraordinary.

Images say more than a thousand words, so we have collated some of them here. Lastly, we think you may have liked this poem by Philip Larkin.

So long, Kate.

 

Days – Philip Larkin

What are days for?

Days are where we live.

They come, they wake us

Time and time over.

They are to be happy in:

Where can we live but days? Ah, solving that question

Brings the priest and the doctor

In their long coats

Running over the fields.