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Dear Readers:
During the previous month we had a record number of 60 new memberships! More than half were from developing countries and we are very proud to be increasing our participation in all regions of the World. There are many ways in which you can help and support our efforts in the development and promotion of palliative care. They include providing grants to travel to teach in other countries, support for travel to attend conferences and meetings and funding faculty positions in nursing and medicine. If you wish to apply or receive additional information on any of these programs or on how to apply, please contact Liliana De Lima.
Last month Liliana represented IAHPC in two important meetings in Seoul. The first was the Second Global Summit for Hospice and Palliative Care Associations organized by Help the Hospices from UK. During this summit the Korean Declaration on Hospice and Palliative Care was drafted and agreed on by 70 delegates from 35 countries around the world. Delegates agreed that palliative care must be available to all according to principles of equity, including vulnerable groups and that the experience gained from hospice and palliative care of cancer should be extended to the care of people with other chronic incurable conditions worldwide. A press release and the full Korea Declaration are available in http://www.hpc-associations.net This meeting provided a great opportunity to meet with palliative care leaders from around the world and discuss different strategies on how to develop a global network of support for the National Associations.
The second meeting was the 6th Asia Pacific Hospice Conference hosted by the Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care in collaboration with the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN). We are very grateful to our Korean colleagues and friends for their kindness and hospitality and congratulate them for putting together a wonderful Conference. An article about the meeting by Dr. Ednin Hamzah, Director of Hospis Malaysia, and member of the APHN Council and the IAHPC Board is included in this letter. The website version includes some pictures of our friends from the Palliative Care Program at the Catholic University of Korea, during the International Banquet.
This month IAHPC will participate in the Congress of the European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC) in Aachen, Germany. Many thanks to the Congress organizers for providing us with free exhibition space. Several of our Board members will be in Aachen and available in our booth, so please stop by and say hello - Ana Restrepo and Liliana will be there to answer questions and inquiries about IAHPC and how you can help in the development of palliative care in the world. We also invite you to participate in the Workshop chaired by Dr. Kathy Foley on Global Development of Palliative Care at 11:00 AM on April 8th. We are happy to announce that IAHPC will sponsor three individuals from developing countries to this Congress, they are Dr. Martha Ximena Leon from Colombia , Dr. Liz Gwyther from South Africa and Nurse Odette Garcea from Romania.
While in Aachen, IAHPC will hold a meeting of the Board of Directors and a Strategic Planning meeting with our members. Thanks to all who accepted our invitation to participate and to those who replied to our Internet survey - your input and suggestions on how we can improve and become more effective in the accomplishment of our mission will be taken in consideration in the IAHPC Strategic Plan for the next five years.
During the last few months we have received many e-mails requesting information on how to start and develop hospice and palliative care programs. IAHPC Press recently published Getting Started Guidelines, a free online publication which offers recommendations on different models of care, the basic requirements for each and recommendations on how to develop a program. In addition, it addresses ethical issues. They were edited by Dr. Derek Doyle and the authors include Doctors Doyle, Daniela Mosoiu, Romania, Alan Nixon, Canada, and KS Chang, Hong Kong. To see the guidelines, go to www.hospicecare.com and click on Resources. You will see the Guidelines listed along with many other resources, such as journals, international newsletters and others.
As we told you in our previous Newsletter, we are in the process of sending out more than 1,000 copies of the Second Edition of the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine, donated to Our Clearing House Program by Oxford University Press. We have more than 800 entries in our database and hope that all the programs, hospices and palliative care units in all developing countries will receive a free copy. The website edition of this newsletter includes some pictures of the warehouse where the mailing packages are being prepared. Many thanks to Mr. Jose Gonzales, owner of the UPS store in Houston for the donation of boxes and to his staff for being very helpful in sending out this large shipment.
Please remember that we have partnered with the Manitoba Palliative Care Research Group to help with the dissemination of a survey to identify the influence of religion, ethnicity and culture in provision of palliative care. As a starting point, it will be necessary to identify and designate palliative care researchers willing to take a lead role in their region or country, or to help us facilitate the identification of such an individual(s). Once selected, the group will decide issues related to the design, and feasibility of the project. Those of you who have not participated yet and are interested in doing so, click on http://www.hospicecare.com/survey/dignity.htm
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Click on photo to enlarge
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The packaging of more than 1,000 copies of the Second Edition of the Oxford Textbook of Palliative Medicine, donated to Our Clearing House Program
by Oxford University Press
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Friends from the Palliative Care Program at the
Catholic University of Korea, during the International Banquet.
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Until next month,
Kathy Foley, MD
Chair, Board of Directors |
Liliana De Lima, MHA
Executive Director |
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