Sometimes forces combine to put the right person in the right place at the right time to make a positive difference in the world. Here’s a shining example.
Myrna Koonce has had more than her share of being around hospitals over the last 30 years, both as a patient and a family member. Her mother had lung cancer, which had metastasized to her brain by the time it was discovered. She died at home under hospice care in 1992. Her father died of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) in 2007 after spending 15 years inside and outside of hospitals. Myrna was diagnosed with breast cancer at age 43 in 2004. She had a mastectomy, but the cancer recurred in 2007, requiring surgery, radiation, chemo and a 5-year anti-hormonal treatment.
Over the past 20 years, Myrna has experienced an increasing call to ministry, through various ministries at St. Paul’s Episcopal Church in Brunswick, especially healing prayer ministry involving the laying on of hands. She began clinical pastoral education at Maine Medical Center in 2015 an experience that one of her supervisors said she “took to it like a duck takes to water.” She was hired as the Maine Medical Care’s Palliative Care Chaplain in 2018. That position has proven to be a fine fit, given Myrna’s experience as a patient and a daughter of patients, combined with her deep devotion to ministry.
Palliative care focuses on alleviating suffering and improving quality of life among people with serious illness. That’s different from hospice care, which focuses on quality of life when a cure is no longer possible or when the burdens of treatment outweigh the benefits.
The palliative care team at Maine Medical Center consists of physicians, nurses, social workers and Myrna (the chaplain). Patients are assigned to the team at their request or, sometimes, at the referral of a physician. The team meets every day to discuss every patient, of which there might be 40 or 50 at any given time. At least one member of the team meets with most patients on most days.
“We help people figure out what’s most important to them in dealing with their illness,” says Myrna. “We help them articulate their hopes and fears. And we help them draw the line in the sand; that is, when they no longer want treatment. We want them to remain as comfortable as possible. Often, they’re dealing with social or psychological matters as well as physical pain. And many people have unresolved issues in their relationships with family members.
“In the process, we encourage people to engage in self-reflection. ‘Who am I?’ ‘What do I need in life?’ ‘What is my use in the world?’ ‘Am I still valuable?’ and ‘Why did God do this to me?’ We try to get them what they want and need.”
As you can imagine, Myrna’s work presents both joys and challenges. “It is a real privilege to help ease the sufferings of people who are experiencing the most broken and tender moments in their lives.” At the same time, she admits that “it is draining to be with so much suffering every day, to walk alongside people who might be in the worst place in their lives.”
Always exploring and evolving, Myrna is continuing her educational journey. She attended Church Divinity School of the Pacific in Berkley, California (low residency), and received a master’s in theological studies in 2021. She’s currently seeking ordination as a deacon which means, among other things, that she will be able serve communion to people in the hospital.
No one wants to be in a hospital, especially if they’re experiencing a serious illness. But it’s comforting to know that good people like Myrna Koonce are at hand to ease the burden and light the way.
David Treadwell, a Brunswick writer, welcomes commentary and suggestions for future “Just a Little Old” columns at dtreadw575@aol.com
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