The Bush Doctor's Challenge. Carol Marinelli

Abby watched as his Adam’s apple bobbed in his throat, and Kell took a drink before he carried on talking. ‘When it became terminal Mum wanted to be at home, and why shouldn’t she be? The whole town loved her, wanted to help look after her, be with her…’

      ‘But there wasn’t anyone?’ Abby ventured.

      ‘Oh, no, we had the clinic. It was tiny then, one doctor and one nurse, Clara. You’ll meet her tomorrow, she’s great. She made all the difference in the world. Sure, Mum had more friends and neighbours than you could count, all willing to help, but it was Clara who came at two in the morning to up her morphine infusion, Clara who turned her, worked out the meds with the doctor, Clara who made all the difference. I went out on a couple of her clinics, saw the work she was doing and I knew then I’d found what I wanted to do with my life.’