Being a son and a brother of very dedicated doctors, I grew up in an atmosphere of warmth and affection towards the sick. I therefore always particularly appreciated Cecil’s intense and never-wavering sense ofloving duty as a medic. He is well renowned for his humane approach and gentle treatment of those who requested his service, which he offered so generously.

I have seen and witnessed his sterling work, which for many, many years he graciously offered to the sick who travelled to Lourdes with the Maltese Association of the Order of Malta.

He was an example of a passionate generosity… always accompanied by all or the majority of his children who helped in the wards, fed the sick, assisted in the transport and in many other ways. Jokingly, I referred to them as the Von Trapp family.

Cecil loved humour; always ready to laugh at a joke. I believe all those who encounter and experience suffering, appreciate the other side of the fence and even use it as a tool to lessen the pain and discomfort of others.

Towards the end, his health waned but he remained peaceful. He remained a man of this world but always prepared for the next. A ‘good’ man in the biblical sense! A beacon for others to follow, especially those who feel unfocused in this increasingly mundane and self-centred world we live in.

Now, dear Cecil, you have joined your beloved wife, Marilyn, who I am sure waited for you at the gates of heaven. Cecil, you have always found the Christ in the suffering body. He is now with you forever. He will never betray a good companion.