Vale, Catherine Meek
It is with an incalculable sense of loss that the Directors and Staff of Robert McDowell's Herbal Treatments announce to our friends and clients worldwide, the passing of our Herbalist colleague Catherine Meek, known to you all as "Sparky".
To Catherine's family we offer our most sincere and heartfelt condolences.
Working with Herbal Treatments for over five years, 'Sparky' battled illness over the last two or three, but whenever she was able, she looked for ways to continue to help her many dedicated clients. Get well messages for 'Sparky' became part of the weekly email flow as we all prayed for her recovery.
There will be many Family and Friends who knew her better and longer than us at Herbal Treatments but we have had the unique privilege of watching how Sparky transferred the warm genuine smile and friendly hello she gave to all of us, down that the phone line to her clients. Catherine dispersed her love in voice and text to anyone who needed it and she did it with a joy that was infectious.
Catherine Meek, aka Sparky will be sadly missed.
Robert McDowell's background and experience is well covered here and he is interested in leading government authorities back toward traditional methods of human health management. He also transferred into the animal treatments using classical and historical applications of herbs and common sense. Our business now sells to clients in many countries around the world directly though the internet and leads the way in many aspects of treatment, while maintaining a personal and direct contact with individual clients.Cath has a long held interest in horses, having been brought up on a farm just outside of Bathurst NSW. Her father bred race horses, and she would retrain them for her small riding school. For the last 15 years she has spent her time dedicated to understanding the equine mind, and the physical impacts of the training of the horse.
Cath McDowell is a trained Dorothy Hall graduate Classical Herbalist, Counsellor, Certified Adult Educator and is also a Reiki Master. She has completed 2 courses of equine studies- early on a course with The Australian Academy of Equitation, and more recently her EFA NCAS level 1 G. She also did 12 months study at Hawkesbury Agricultural College- Ad. Dip. Horse Management, and part-completed a BA at Charles Sturt University - Cultural Studies.
Nowadays, she spends her time advising horse owners on holistic care and training methods for many of our clients. She is passionate about kind and thereputically orientated training of horses that improve horses well-being, and uses her extensive experience as a horse trainer and holistic practitioner to assist in the rehabilitation of clients horses.
She Lectures at local TAFE 4 times a year to Equine Massage Students on Herbal medicine. Cath also devotes her time to the local pony club, offering assistance to young riders to improve their understanding of the horses that they ride.Cath also has up to 6 horses in work , ranging from a young mare just started under saddle, to more advanced horses. presently her big mare Rosie is just starting flying changes , piaff and passage.
She is a skilled Dressage Rider and trains advanced Dressage students. Our Horse Property, which she manages, is nearly 300 acres and has private 1 or 4 acre paddocks for rental and for our treatment of equine health problems.
Judith Burton is also a Dorothy Hall graduated herbalist. She works to keep our newsletters coming out, performs online consultations and makes small changes to the website on a daily basis. Her current speciality is in alternative childhood education and she runs a private school in conjunction with others. Judith fine her maintenance of herbal expertise restful and relaxing from the demands of school management and she shows special skills in human treatments because of her knowledge in alternate education systems.
Our Vet Tech Kate is arguably the most experienced small animal clinician. Before coming to us, she and her Vet husband owned and managed a clinic for small animals in Sydney. Kate has now been with Herbal Treatments well over 10 years and is relied upon for her extensive knowledge of illness and disease in domestic animals.
Kate is our small animal expert as well as having a very solid equine background, riding and handling horses since a teenager. Kate works 4 full time days each week and is in first hand contact with owners during the time they need help and advice as well as herbal treatments. Kate has intimate knowledge of the veterinary medical approach to dealing with problems and she is the person you should ask to talk to regarding existing treatments and medications.
George Peterson; After 7 years with Herbal Treatments George has worked his way into the position of Practice Manager. George is now central to the day to day work of the Herbal business. He manages workflows for Clinical staff and oversees the operations of the Herbal dispensary. George has limited mobility (caused by childhood Polio), but, thanks to the technologies of the 21st century the Practice can accomodate his needs by enabling work from his home/office, for much of the working week.
Other essential Staff. We have other staff who work for us either full or part time, in manufacturing herbal extracts land in packaging orders. Without these people we would not be able to do what we do.
We are associated with other manufacturers of herbal extracts who prepare some of our specific tinctures for grazing animals. These are mostly herbs extracted in organic apple cider vinegar.