Reciprocity lies at the very heart of One Medicine, but what does it mean in practice?
Our Research and Scientific Outreach Manager, Andrea, was inspired by the theme of our Creative Awards 2025 and decided to write a poem about reciprocity and what it means for human and animal medicine.
"Reciprocity" by Andrea Short
Standing together, side-by-side,
Everyone in healthcare.
Human and animal, paw in hand,
Is the kindest way to get there.
At this moment in time, these worlds don’t align,
They’re separate and don't work together.
It causes despair, that they do not share
What they learn – it would make all lives better.
With medical advances, there always are chances
To cross this boundary line.
There is such potential to save lives - and then some,
If only they’d just take the time.
Natural diseases occur all around,
And our animals live in our houses.
We can learn more from them in our shared surrounds,
Than genetically engineered mouse(es)
There’s limited divide in sickness and cure,
Many species succumb to the same.
Diagnostics and treatment so often compare -
Whether human, horse, dog, fish or game.
Finding new methods to tackle disease,
And sharing across every species,
Would take us to places beyond our dreams -
With such benefits – if only they’d see this.
By working together and sharing their wins,
Compassion would be so much deeper.
Joining as one, to advance as a whole
Would slow down the dreaded grim reaper.
Where options permit, they should also remit
To avoid using animal models -
Which bare such life loss - with financial cost -
Our approach ought to be reconsidered.
Replace, reduce, refine is proposed
As an admirable direction.
It’s a positive step, but for further redress
One Medicine, most certainly, can help them.
Humanimal Trust values all lives -
Equal progress for all is our destiny.
Same options and treatments in parallel time -
This is reciprocity.
Feeling inspired? Why not write your own poem, essay or short story and enter it into our #CreativeAwards2025? If writing isn't your thing, how about a drawing, video or photograph?