Rella Mary Meston
May 7, 1957 – April
12, 2013
The occupational therapy community is mourning the loss of
an esteemed colleague and dear friend, Rella Meston. She lost her long battle with cancer in the
Palliative Care Unit of Nanaimo Regional General Hospital on April 12.
Rella graduated from the University of Alberta in 1979 with
a Degree of Occupational Therapy. She
worked in various Home Care positions in Alberta, as well as being involved in
provincial professional committess and activities. She and her family relocated
to Nanaimo and Rella started a small private practice. She then decided to support her husband in
the operation of his business, letting her OT registration lapse. When she wanted to return to health care,
realizing that she could not work as an occupational therapist, she applied for
a position as a Rehabilitation Assistant at the hospital – recognizing and
respecting her different role while focussing on bringing the best out in her
clients. When the timing was right,
Rella pursued re-entry into our profession, and once again was able to practice
as an occupational therapist securing a permanent position with Home and
Community Care in Ladysmith. Rella
valued and respected client-centred practice, and never stopped advocating for
her clients and our profession.
Rella enjoyed a variety of leisure interests including
hiking, biking, singing, and most recently achieving her dream of learning to
play the harp. She was always for
living, as evidenced by her last hike up Mount Arrowsmith following surgery
last summer. She had an assistant in the
event that she needed to stop, but she was determined to finish the climb –
which she did! Throughout the recent
challenging progression of her illness, she maintained her witty sense of humor
and fun loving personality.
Rella will be sadly missed by her two daughters, Kerri and
Janelle, as well as other family members,
friends and colleagues.
