Alchemy, Compassion, and the Healer's Art: A Tribute to the Life and Work of Florence Wald

Abstract

Alchemy is a concept of the Middle Ages involving the transformation of base metals into gold. As well, it reflects spiritual transformation. More recently, the concept has been used to reflect the transformations which occur between care-giver and care-recipient in end-of-life care. This article uses the concept of alchemy as a way of meaning-making in reviewing the career of Florence Wald, showing how the transformations which occurred over the course of her professional life deepened her compassion and found their final expression in her work with persons dying in the prison system.