June 2023
"From chaos, stars are born"
It was with this reply by Charlie Chaplin that one of my meetings with Mr G ended. We came to see him to accompany him to the hospital, at his appointment with a specialist.
May 2023
A force of nature
Our patient, Mrs J., moved into her flat a few months ago. She fought like a lioness to get off the streets after living there for 8 years.
May 2023
The endearing Mr W.
We met him on the street and have been accompanying Mr. W for several years now. As far as we know his history, his life journey has always been complicated. Despite the ups and downs, Mr is determined and certainly one of the most endearing person we work with!
May 2023
"Growing older is mandatory, but growing up is a choice" (Youssoupha)
He was born in Brussels at the beginning of the sixties. After a burn-out and a period of severe isolation, he lived on the street for several years. Despite having a home to live in, his health is visibly deteriorating.
May 2023
Finally able to recompose himself in his modular home
Mr. B. moved into his new home on a Tuesday after having lived on the street for 6 years. It’s quite visible that he’s now well established there. He receives us with a cup of coffee. Medical appointments have been made to get his health back on track. And he let us know what this home had given him: peace of mind and, physically, the possibility to get a rest.
April 2023
Getting back on track at one’s own rhythm
That morning reminded me of the importance to respect everybody’s personal rhythm in the healing process. It’s essential to give Mr. F. the necessary time, without undue haste, to overcome his difficulties.
April 2023
Always hoping for a miracle…
Street Nurses does fantastic work but sometimes we run into a complicated system that offers us no solutions.
March 2023
Mr. H won’t be discouraged by the failing system
Seeing what Mr. H has to go through, we realise that much needs to be improved to allow these people, who we meet every day, quickly to leave street life behind.
February 2023
On the street: the experience of an accompanying volunteer nurse
As a voluntary nurse, I sometimes have, through the work of Street Nurses, interesting meetings with people who live there.
February 2023
Hope makes you go on
I hadn’t seen Mr. J. for a long time.
As his contact person for more than a year, I had ample opportunity to meet him, get to know him and accompany him in his good, and sometimes not so good, moments.
February 2023
He is still standing, where others would have given up long ago
Last week, Mr. E. was told he had throat cancer. But faced with the news, he remained stoic. It takes more to upset him after having lived on the street for twenty years and having experienced about everything under the sun.
February 2023
In the end, we are all masters of our own lives
Mr. B's story shows how we can accompany people in their vulnerability by getting used to their situation, knowing that precariousness in a such a life is unavoidable – and that they already travelled a very long road.