By Paul Dobbyn
ARRIVING at Brisbane’s Mater Hospital 11 years ago, first time mum-to-be Suzanne Greenwood thought she was about to have a routine delivery.
It proved to be anything but.
What happened next, as Catholic Health Australia’s new chief executive officer recently said would change her life forever.
“I didn’t know it till later, but both my life and my daughter Portia’s, were hanging in the balance,” she said.
“As I reached the delivery suite one of the midwives said to me and my husband Brendan: ‘Have you two said your last goodbyes?’
“That, combined with the rush of medical staff as I arrived, told me things were extremely serious.
“Then I was given an epidural. I heard my gynaecologist ask: ‘Can I start now?’
“The anaesthetist said to wait two minutes but my doctor said: ‘I can’t, in two minutes the child will be dead.
“It turned out my own life was in danger as well…I had pre-eclampsia and then suffered an abruption which happens when the placenta separates.
“Cutting a long and not very lovely story short, my daughter was delivered within seven minutes of us walking in the door of the Mater Hospital.”
Suzanne spoke about the harrowing event a few days after her commissioning as Catholic Health’s new leader in a ceremony at the organisation’s national conference held in Brisbane in late August.
“When the drama happened at the Mater Hospital, I was a lawyer working with a commercial law firm in the city doing major projects like infrastructure shopping centres and so on,” she said.
“After the hospital’s dedicated staff saved my daughter and probably me, I thought, ‘Wow what these people do for a living has meaning, it really makes a difference’.”
Not long into her maternity leave, Suzanne resolved to change her career.
“A position was advertised in Queensland Health’s legal unit for a part-time solicitor so I applied.
“I had no health or government background but somehow managed to get the role.
“I stayed with the government job for the next few years.
“During this time, I had a son Samuel and while he was an emergency delivery as well, the birth was far more controlled.”
Suzanne’s early school days were spent at Queen of Apostles Stafford “when Father Clem Hodge was parish priest”.
Suzanne next went to St Benedict’s College at Wilston.
“It doesn’t exist any more; it’s now the O’Shea centre,” she said.
“It was a beautiful girls’ school …just grades 8, 9 and 10 run by the Good Samaritan Sisters.
“I’ve had the joy these past few years being on the Good Sams Foundation, fundraising for projects like transitional housing for women escaping domestic violence.”
Suzanne headed to Marcellin College, Enoggera for Years 11 and 12, although soon after her arrival the school joined up with Michelton’s Mt Maria College.
“Mt Maria was another great school – the Marist Brothers were very present with a Brother as principal,” she said.
Suzanne said the difficult birth experiences with both her children had led her to draw prayerful strength from her Catholic faith “although Brendan and I didn’t have much time during the first emergency”.
Several years into her role with Queensland Health, Suzanne left to return to a more intense involvement with her faith working for St Vincent’s Health and Aged Care.
“That was my first opportunity to bring my work into the Catholic sector,” she said.
“People started to ask me what working at St Vincent’s was about.
“I’d say well, it’s a ministry of Christ – I think it often challenged people to hear this.”
Catholic Health Australia, the organisation that Suzanne will now head, is the largest non-government provider grouping of health, community and aged care services in Australia.
Nationally, it represents Catholic health care sponsors, systems, facilities and related organisations and services.
The CHA network cares for one in every 10 Australians in both hospitals and residential aged care.
About 35,000 people work in the sector across some 75 health care facilities including 21 publicly and 54 privately funded hospitals.
There are also 130 nursing homes and hostels in the network.
Suzanne sees her new role in several ways.
“In simple terms, it is about being voice of Catholic health care in Australia – and being able to bring together the collective voice of those various groups under the CHA umbrella,” she said.
“It’s about being able to be active in lobbying government in seeking policy reform on public health, aged care issues and so on.”
Suzanne is keen to get underway with her new role, which started this month.
Consultations are planned to start as soon as possible.
“I want to get over to Western Australia before the end of year – organisations such as St John of God are very large and very active, recently having opened a new hospital,” she said.
She will bring strong personal qualities to what she says is “a big, big job”..
“I intend to approach this leadership role in a very values-based and vision-driven way,” Suzanne said.
“At this really early stage, I hope my passion and enthusiasm for what Catholic Health does enthuses all.
“The previous CEO, Martin (Laverty), was fabulous in this regard.
“Martin also did some brilliant work around social determinants of health: how the level of poverty may impact on quality of care people receive.
“This important and significant piece of work needs to continue.
“We need to keep an eye on issues like GP co-payments, the Budget changes, the proposed Medical Services (Dying with Dignity) Bill, private health insurance changes, the list goes on…
“I’m also looking forward to working closely with CHA stewardship board chair Rowena McNally and various other leaders within the organisation.”
Suzanne has a great joy at this chance to lead a major Catholic organisation making such a difference in Australian society.
“How lucky was I to attend my recent business conference which started with a Mass?” she said.
“Afterwards I was able to participate in my commissioning as CHA CEO by Bishop Donald Sproxton.
“Bishop Donald stood next to me, giving me a candle and CHA’s mission statement.
“I then had the opportunity to declare that I was gladly taking on the role of leadership, and would do everything in my power to support the ministries under the CHA umbrella.
“I mean how lucky am I that I get to go to work and have that affirmation of my own beliefs?”
