Author and social commentator Celia Lashlie is known for for her work on raising teenage boys. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Author and social commentator Celia Lashlie is known for for her work on raising teenage boys. Photo / Mark Mitchell
Acclaimed social researcher and author Celia Lashlie has cancelled all speaking engagements to stay home with her family in Wellington after being diagnosed with terminal cancer.
Ms Lashlie, best known for her work helping at-risk adolescent boys, was the first female prison officer to work in a men's prison inNew Zealand before becoming head of Christchurch Women's Prison.
She ended her 14 years in the prison service and was acting head of Specialist Education Services in Nelson when she raised a storm in 2001 as author of The Journey to Prison, a stark tale of a 5-year-old boy she contended was already on the path to incarceration.
That led to her dismissal from the agency for allegedly breaching client confidentiality with the book, only for her to be reinstated with support from then Children's Commissioner Roger McClay after admitting the boy was a composite character.
Yesterday, her family announced through her website that her pancreatic cancer meant she will no longer be able to accept speaking engagements.
The mother of two and grandmother of five wrote on her blog: "It's time to leave the work to others now.
"My wish is that others will learn to stop before I did, to take into account the limitations of their physical bodies and to take the time to listen to the yearnings of their soul. It is in the taking care of ourselves we learn the ability to take care of others."
