June• 2018 | 73READER’S DIGEST
us to be accepted into the orphanage.
"With the family background they
seem to have, I would expect some
disturbance among them."
I stopped reading, stared at the cup
of tea on the table. Tears came to my
eyes. The “disturbance” Bill Hickey
anticipated was my mother’s suicide.
I was struck by how close we had
been to help. his social worker had
been concerned for this family of four
young girls aged 6, 8, 10 and 12, and
their parents. He clearly understood
that our situation wasn’t likely to
right itself.
Winston Churchill said, “If you
ind yourself going through hell, keep
going.” Hell takes the form of many
diferent struggles – mental illness,
physical aliction, money problems,
homelessness. Some of us reach that
point of hopelessness and think there
is no other way. But there is, there al-
ways is – we just have to ind it.
Who knows how Bill Hickey could
have helped us, could have helped
Mum, could have changed our path.
If Mum could have held on just a little
bit longer ... you just don’t know. So,
my message to anyone “going
through hell” is to just keep going.Father: Factor y Worker”, “Address
of Mother: Heathcote Mental Hos-
pital”, “Father cannot look after
them during mother’s illness. Ad-
mitted in 1967 and again on three
occasions – mother’s illness”, “Other
Agencies Involved – Catholic Welfare
Department”.
Words were swimming on the
pages in front of me as the woman
made me a cup of tea, then sat quietly
as I read my ile. One typewritten let-
ter held my attention longer than the
others; it was dated 6/2/72 – 29 days
before Mum’s suicide.
It was written by Bill Hickey, a so-
cial worker, and was addressed to the
Admissions Sister of the orphanage.
His concern for our family’s situation
was clear: “This is not a full report,
just a few words to let you know the
situation,” he wrote, appealing to the
orphanage to take us in. “he father
came to me late on Friday night, and
since it seems an emergency, I want
to submit a few notes now, and draft
out a proper report on Monday.”
His letter details my parents’ sep-
arate illnesses, and the dire need for
WINSTON CHURCHILL
SAID, “IF YOU FIND
YOURSELF GOING
THROUGH HELL, JUST
KEEP GOING”
CRISIS SUPPORT LINES
Lifeline Australia: 13 11 14
Lifeline New Zealand: 0800 543 354
Life Line Association Malaysia:
(03) 42657995
Samaritans of Singapore (SOS):
1800 221 4444
Hopeline (Philippines): (02) 8969191