Highway Hospice founder dies at 79
Greta Schoeman, founder of the Highway Hospice, has died at the age of 79 after a protracted battle with cancer
GRETA Schoeman, founder of the Highway Hospice, has died after a protracted battle with cancer. She was 79.
Great was born in England where she trained as a paediatric nurse.
She married a doctor, Pierre Schoeman, in 1968 and a year later they moved to South Africa.
It was her father’s death from cancer around that time that prompted her to return to England to study and to have a working knowledge of the system of hospices which were successfully run in Britain at that time.
Her son, Ken Schoeman, said his mother had felt that she had to do something to still the suffering of the many people who were struck down by the dreaded disease.
On her return to South Africa and with a new set of qualifications, she opened the first in-patient unit for terminally ill patients in South Africa in her home in Kings Road in Westville.
This was the forerunner of the Highway Hospice, a centre which thrived under her care and which this year celebrated 32 years of existence.
Her contribution to the people of Durban was recognised by the eThekwini Municipality in September when she was named one of the city’s living legends.
Memorial service arrangements are still to be announced.
Mum your family and South Africa love you and will miss your dedication, love and most of all your strength. What you have taught us is that there is always hope,love and understanding. You now have the opportunity to continue yours and God’s work by sitting on the shoulder as an angel of all involved with Hospice to give them the strength and dedication when times are tough to reaffirm that what you started and that Dad, Mandy and I believed in so much from the start at 41 Kings. I found a quote that I think sums you up. “God gave you this life because he knew you were strong enough to live it” Rest in peace mum, Ken