Ladies Conference

Guest Speaker - Averil Neilly, Author of the book "Beyond The Cutting Edge, A journey of grief, grace and healing."

On 1st February 2000, Paul Neilly MD FRCS was appointed to be a Consultant General Surgeon with an interest in Colorectal Surgery to Altnagelvin Hospital, Londonderry.

He had reached the peak of his career and his dreams had been realised. Futhermore, his family were now very secure, at least, so he thought. Two and half years later Paul was diagnosed with terminal cancer in the very area of his speciality. During the course of the next 2 years, he and his wife Averil did everything possible to avoid the inevitable, but alas, Paul passed away in February 2004.

In the years since, Averil has tried to cope with the challenges of widowhood and being a single parent. These years have brought her through an emotional and at times tortuous kaleidoscope of tears, grief, resentment, doubt and fear. Over the same passage or time, by the grace of God, she has been able to meet these human and all too common reactions with Christian fortitude.