In June 2013 my mother passed away, I was homeless for 8 days as a result of a devastating flood and I provided medical care to a 36-year old physician colleague. He was weeks from completing his surgical residency training and starting a long-awaited Fellowship in the USA. An unplanned visit to the ER resulted in a diagnosis of stage IV renal cell carcinoma. Six week later he was dead.

Months later a lovely note arrived from his widow, about how my words and care had impacted their lives. I never knew…