By Avril Shand
It is with great sadness that we write this obituary for Sheila who was a wonderful, inspirational woman, and good friend to so many.
Sheila Stanger trained in radiography in Glasgow and her outstanding attributes and abilities were apparent from the outset when she qualified as the prize-winning student of her year.
Initially she worked locally before going to Canada for a spell, however the pull of family brought her home and she took a position in Knightswood Hospital.
Great technical ability and an empathetic teacher
In the 1970s, she became lead radiographer at the cardiology unit of the Western Infirmary in Glasgow, and established the 'cath lab' there. Her field of practice expanded and she was soon the superintendent radiographer of accident and emergency and orthopaedics in the 'Western'.
She fully recognised, practised and taught, the necessity of quality assurance in its many aspects from regular equipment checks to repeat image analysis. She had great technical ability and was an empathetic teacher: she was a superb nurturer of individuals, guiding them, seeing ability in those who didn’t even see it in themselves and always thinking the best of everyone. She was hugely respected by her fellow staff, patients, doctors and throughout the hospital and profession.
She joined the Society of Radiographers in the 1960s and was not only a strong supporter of this body but an active participant – firstly as a member of the Scottish Committee and then in the 1990s she held the positions of secretary, vice chair and then the Scottish chair.
Sheila was therefore a very active part of successful study meetings that the Society organised and the Glasgow hosting of the combined Society and Royal College of Radiologists annual conference in 1988.
‘A tremendous success’
Her career continued in the Western when she became the imaging superintendent, with responsibility for all the departments. She had many qualities that made her a tremendous success in this role.
One such quality was her ability to bring calmness and resolution to any contentious or volatile situation, not only solving problems but also enhancing the profession’s position with other PAMs, pulling the department together as a team and often acting as adjudicator.
Long before Excel spreadsheets were in the workplace, she was a wizard with rotas, be that the shift rota or the annual leave rota: this was a skill she also utilised in her church running the car rota for numerous decades! She was a sympathetic and helpful counsel, with a rock-solid perspective of fairness and was much respected for that quality too.
‘Her career spanned significant changes’
In 1989/89 she rose to the request for assistance and led her team to Lockerbie, rising to all the challenges that such a devastating event presented.
She retired from her last position early in the millennium only to be called back and to continue “at the helm” until “the watch” was handed safely to her successor.
Her career spanned significant changes in radiography from wet film developing, through automatic processing with silver recovery, daylight processing, computed radiography or “CR” to the digital era.
She was proactive in dealing with all the issues of these developments, always with the best
interests of patients, and of staff, at the forefront.
‘Loved and cherished dearly’
Throughout her adult life she was extremely kind and caring – of both patients and staff.
Beyond her professional life she devoted herself selflessly to the care and support of others – family, friends or members of the wider community.
Outside of work Sheila had many interests. She was an enthusiastic skier, often in Europe with friends or her young niece and nephews. She enjoyed travel and, on finally retiring, supported and encouraged by her family, she went on a solo trip across the world to Australia and New Zealand.
She was a keen walker and a member of at least one rambling club. She enjoyed photography and her garden and was a member of the local flower club. Her lovely personality gathered a great number of friends of all ages and walks of life, with whom she was very good at keeping in touch and was always having coffee or lunch with one or more of them. She is very sorely missed.
Our condolences go to her family who she loved and cherished dearly and likewise by whom she was much loved and cherished.
(Image: Sheila Stanger)