Grace Xu finished her PhD in nursing in 2021 but as she battles on the Queensland health frontline, she is inspired by a legendary nurse whose hospital ship went down during World War II.
Dr Xu is one of the recipients of the Centaur Scholarship, a program set up to honour those onboard the sunken ship and help nurses get doctorate degrees.
The Centaur, 2/3rd Australian Hospital Ship, was on its way to Papua New Guinea from Sydney on May 14, 1943 when it was struck by a Japanese torpedo and sank south of Moreton Island.
The ship was commemorated in Brisbane on the 80th anniversary of its demise with a ceremony attended by family members of those on board, medical professionals and dignitaries, including Queensland Governor Dr Jeannette Young.
When the ship sank with more than 300 people on board, only 64 survived.
Among the survivors was Sister Ellen Savage, the only nurse among the group and despite being injured, she continued to serve.
"When she came up, she hit some timber from the ship and she broke her face, the middle third of her face… she had burns, a broken thumb and broken ribs," nurse and historian Dr Madonna Grehan said.
"She was the only nursing survivor, so as the only woman she took it upon herself to be in charge of the patients, who she considered patients, because most of them were injured in some way."
The Centaur Memorial Fund was set up in 1948 in honour of those serving onboard the Centaur.
Dr Xu is the latest graduate from the program, having received the Centaur Memorial Fund Scholarship.
She said the impact Ms Savage and her peers had is long-lasting.
"The health care workers ... they're really trying to do everything to look at the patient, and put the patient first before themselves," Dr Xu said.
"It's that spirit that carries on today."
With graduates like Dr Xu, the Centaur continues to have a strong legacy in the medical field.
Impactful through the decades
Gordon Melbom also feels that lasting impact, especially because it's etched into his skin.
"The tattoo is my own design to commemorate the ship's bell… It's also to commemorate the ship's service and it's just a living memorial to myself, for my great uncle," he said.
His great uncle Eric was on board the Centaur as medical staff.
He was not among the survivors.
Mr Melbom said he had mixed feelings at the commemoration.
"I'm glad and sad," he said.
"It's a shame that he had to perish, but also he was on his way to help people that was less fortunate than himself."
Michael Forrest's uncle was also on board.
He said it was important to mark such occasions as it helps people understand the cause and impacts of war.
"To see people understand war and the causes of war, and how to deal with conflict better is most important," he said.
Mr Forrest said the day is more poignant this year as it coincided with Mother's Day.
"I can imagine how the mothers were when they got the first telegram to say the son was missing in action, followed by a follow up telegram saying, he's gone," he said.
The loss of the ship had an immediate impact as the Australian government rallied the country around the themes of avenging the lost.
"Prime Minister John Curtin authorised the creation of two specific law posters, one called 'Avenge the nurses' and one called 'Save for the brave'," Dr Grehan said.
"They were sent to every workplace, every union shop, every employment agency around Australia, because the government decided that if they concentrated on the nurses, they could rally Australians to support the war effort and to buy war bonds."
The wreck of the Centaur was found in late 2009 about 30 nautical miles off the southern tip of Moreton Island, off Queensland's south-east coast.
