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The Kisuma Hospice and Palliative Care Centre was opened in 1998 as a non-profit, non-denominational and non-political entity. Our work started in a small room given to the Hospice by the Nyanza Provincial Hospital, in Kisumu City, Kenya. We have now moved to a larger facility in the city center that was given to us by a kind family.

We care for patients with cancer and HIV/AIDS. Our patients are cared for at the centre as outpatients, and we also provide palliative services to children with Burkitt’s Lymphoma in the Nyanza Provincial Hospital, Kisumu, where they are admitted for both curative and palliative care management. We offer symptom control, and when necessary, we also provide disease control using chemotherapy and radiation. We also provide home care to terminally ill patients because hospital care is very expensive and most patients can not afford it. We provide emotional, psycho-social and spiritual support to our patients.

Two physicians offer voluntary services, myself, a Radiotherapist/Oncologist and Dr. Ruby Sokwala, a Palliative Care Doctor. We also have two senior nursing sisters who are currently studying for a Diploma in Palliative Care with Oxford Brookes University in conjunction with the Nairobi Hospice, sponsored by Hospice Care Kenya, U.K. We also have one secretary and one support staff member who are paid small allowances made possible from our medication sales.

We are very grateful for the support we receive from various non-governmental groups as well as from the government. The Kenya Government contributes salaries for staff since 1998. The Hospice Care Kenya, U.K. has provided us with a vehicle, has funded the purchase of morphine powder, and provided funding for our two nursing sisters education and travel to Nairobi. The chairperson, Liz Salmon, has also made a personal donation to purchase morphine for children with Burkitt's Lymphoma.

The CDC Global AIDS Program supplies funding for drugs, a computer, training on computers for our secretary, stationary, funding for training and team work dedicated to HIV/AIDS patients.

Nairobi Hospice Holland supplies drugs as required and funding for training.

Dr. Diana D'Orazio – Miracle Missions USA provides ongoing support to our patients and their families, funds for Dr. Sokwala to attend a conference in Virginia, USA where she will speak on "HIV/AIDS and HIV Related Cancers in Nyanza, Kenya," and they help orphans and widow groups in Kisumu Hospice and Palliative Care Centre.

Finally, we have twinned with a Hospice in Pennsylvania, USA and receive donations and moral support from local friends of the hospice.

Between January 2002 and August 2004, the number of patients has steadily increased especially since we started giving palliative services to both Cancer patients and HIV/AIDS patients.

In 2002 we served 1021 patients
In 2003 we served 1296 patients
In 2004 up to August 31st we have served 1157 patients

Of the above patients 10% were HIV positive. The patients are referred from various hospitals and Patient Support Centres run by CDC in the province.

We provide three courses on Palliative Management each year. Thus far we have trained 98 individuals from community based organisations. This has created an increased awareness of palliative care and a change of attitude about death and dying in the region.

KISUMU HOSPICE AND PALLIATIVE CARE – SIAYA

Because of the large area of operation and great interest in the program, the Ministry of Health through the PMO in Nyanza and Medical Superintendent of the Siaya District has offered accommodations and a trained registered nursing officer. Our team from the Hospice will visit every two weeks. We plan to train a clinical officer, or interested doctor, to help the sister care for patients who can not travel to Kisuma, 70 Km away. This move to open a branch in Siaya is in response to the Kenyan Government's plan to have palliative care in every government hospital in conjunction with the patient support centre.

CANCER CONTROL ACTIVITIES

Each October we organize cancer prevention and early detection activities that provide Pap-smears in conjunction with Family Planning Association (K) at our Centre and breast cancer awareness and mammography with Nyanza Provincial Hospital.

Since we started this campaign, we have provided 390 Pap-Smears and the same number of mammograms. We have detected 6 suspicious Pap-Smears, which were sent for biopsy and treatment to the various Gynecologists in Kisumu and to Nairobi.