Popular Hospital Figure Retires

Our Deputy Chairman celebrates the dedicated service of Sylvia Holmes

Sylvia Holmes joined the Hospital Foundation in 1986 at the request of Sir Stephen Miller, Hospitaller 1980-90.  She had run his private practice for over 15 years, having previously worked for him in the Glaucoma Unit of Moorfields Eye Hospital.    Sir Stephen, Surgeon Oculist to Her Majesty The Queen 1965-74, was also appointed to many of the Royal Households in the Middle East.  A very successful fund raising campaign was organised that was to lay the foundations for the present Endowment Fund.  Major contributors included many past patients and was particularly enhanced by the Ladies Guild under the Chairmanship of the Countess Cathcart.  Sylvia soon forged a close friendship with Lady Cathcart and counts her help with the Guild as one of the high points of her St. John career.

Sir Stephen’s enthusiasm for the Hospital was soon adopted by Sylvia too.  She developed a great passion for the both the institution and the Palestinian people it served.  Lifelong friendships were forged with the senior staff at the Hospital, including former Matron, Jackie Jaidy, Ann Zawahreh, Meg Dibsey, and Jeanne Garth, the present Medical Director, as well as with the staff at the Gaza clinic. 

Sylvia had, and still has, a huge respect for those who maintained the clinical standards and ensured the Hospital and it satellites moved with the times.  She says she has been humbled to see how these dedicated individuals carry out their work in such difficult circumstances.

Closely associated with the T F C Frost Charitable Trust, which helped found it, Sylvia has been particularly happy to watch the success and reputation of the Hospital’s Sir Stephen Miller School of Nursing – the only institution of its kind in the region – grow over the years.  Equally she was proud to witness the development and progress of the medical training programme.

Sylvia says the Hospital has given to her much more than she has given back.  It has provided her with the opportunity to make close friends throughout the world and in particular she counts Don Lundquist and Joe Walsh from USA as true friends.  There are many more friends in the St John Priories past and present with whom she maintains a close personal link. I am sure Sylvia will be missed by all those at St. John who knew her.  We wish her all the best for the future. 

Antoine Mattar

Deputy Chairman