Avril Maltman (64) will be remembered for her no-nonsense yet deeply caring approach to life.
The senior nursing services manager at Rand Aid Association, Avril passed away on April 20 after a courageous battle with lung cancer.
Her dedication, compassion and strength left a lasting legacy at Ron Smith Care Centre, where she was based. She was respected and loved by all who knew her, and her reputation for excellence was felt throughout Rand Aid.
“For 13 years, Matron Avril was more than a nursing manager – she was the steady hand that guided us and a true embodiment of care and leadership,” says her colleague and friend, Sister Leanie Bessinger. “Her presence in the wings of Ron Smith brought comfort not only to the residents she served, but also to the colleagues who worked beside her. Her professionalism was matched only by her deep empathy – a rare combination that made all the difference to those in her care.”
Avril joined Rand Aid Association in 2012, taking charge of medical interventions and nursing practices, initially at Ron Smith, but later extending to the organisation’s retirement villages.
At the time, she was already known to staff and residents, having provided wound care services at Rand Aid while working for healthcare company Hartmann South Africa, which she joined in 1999. As Hartmann’s national sales manager, she worked extensively with care facilities countrywide, offering education and developing solutions for incontinence and wound management. She had extensive experience in public and private sector healthcare, including managing operating theatres in large hospitals.
“Matron Avril’s work went beyond the clinical. She saw each resident not as a patient, but as a person – with stories, histories and dignity that deserved to be honoured,” says Leanie.
Avril played a pivotal role in implementing the Eden Alternative at Ron Smith Care Centre, helping it become a registered Eden Alternative home and a leader in people-centred care. During the Covid-19 pandemic, she was key to many of Rand Aid’s successful interventions throughout the crisis.
“She took the time to listen and to notice the little things. For the families of our residents, she was a source of trust and reassurance. For the staff, she was a matron, a mother and a mentor, a role model and a constant support. She was strict when it came to the quality of nursing in the care centre, but she wanted only the best for her residents,” says Leanie.
Avril was a great animal lover, known for feeding the ducks at Ron Smith Care Centre every morning. “Whenever one was sick, it was carted off to the vet by Avril. Candy, our office cat, loved her to bits and was always in her office,” says Leanie.
“Thank you for your unwavering commitment to the values that make Ron Smith Care Centre a place of true care. You will be deeply missed, but your spirit, your lessons and your kindness will live on in the hearts of all you have helped.”
