Editor’s Notes
William Farr, PhD, MD
News from The Gambia , West Africa
Future Care Hospice was officially registered as a charitable organization on Oct 2004 and started with a home care service with four nurses, one chaplain, five auxiliary nurses and three voluntary workers. Two nurses have since left due to lack of funds to pay for their salaries.
The program includes symptom control, domiciliary care and prevention advice for all sectors of the society who have advanced disease. Objectives of the program are to embark on training nurses to be highly professional and to support the Government effort in the provision of vital preventive and curative drugs for incurable conditions. Future Care Hospice needs financial assistance to further train personnel, expand their hospital services and improve the availability of drugs in order to provide good palliative care. The well being of the people of The Gambia, particularly those with HIV/AIDS and cancer, is dependent on receiving outside help.
Those interested, can contact the Future Care Hospice National President, Mr Abel Igbe.
Mr Abel Igbe
Future Care Hospice, National President
P.M.B 366 Serrekunda, The Gambia
Tel-220-7789671
Fax-220-4228004
[email protected]
Report on Veterans End-of-Life Care
Released by NHPCO and the United States Veteran’s Administration (VA)
February 10, 2005
( Alexandria , Va ) A new report, “VA Transforms End-of-Life Care for Veterans,” has been released by the Department of Veterans Affairs and the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. A joint project of the VA and NHPCO, the monograph shares advancements made in end-of-life care for veterans and examines successful hospice-veterans partnerships. The importance of quality, compassionate care for dying veterans and their families is emphasized and some of the unique needs of veterans are described.
More than 1,800 Veterans die every day in this country—that’s about 54,000 people a month representing a quarter of all deaths in the U.S. The moving stories of individual veterans and their families who have benefited from quality end-of-life care are shared and best illustrate the importance and value of this care.
Vietnam veteran Paxson Parsons is a striking presence despite the lung cancer that has placed him under the care of The Hospice of the Florida Suncoast in Largo , Fl. He encourages other veterans with life-threatening illnesses to be open to hospice care. “It’s not about dying—that part’s up to you,” Parsons said. “Hospice is just a helping hand, helping you live with the disease. It’s helped me a lot.”
Thomas Edes, M.D., VA chief of home and community based care, remarked, “We are raising expectations at the national and local levels, so that a terminally ill veteran can go to any VA facility and obtain hospice care. If needed hospice care is not forthcoming, we want them to contact us.”
In 2004, NHPCO provided ten grants to state hospice and palliative care organizations working to establish stronger relationships with VAMCs. A number of other end-of-life advocates have been actively promoting partnerships and collaborative efforts across the nation. The report offers practical advice on ways community hospice providers can work with VAMCs.
“NHPCO has long advocated that veterans should received hospice care and that community hospices should be reimbursed by the VA for the care they provide to appropriate, eligible veterans,” says Judi Lund Person, NHPCO’s vice president for quality end-of-life care. “NHPCO will continue to strongly support this work and relationship building as we look for funding opportunities to further advance the cause.”
A PDF of this report may be downloaded from the NHPCO website, http://www.nhpco.org/files/public/va_care_brochure_2005.pdf.
For More Information
Jon Radulovic
Vice President, Communications
National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization
1700 Diagonal Road, Suite 625
Alexandria, VA 22314
Ph: 703/837-3139
Fax: 703/837-1233
www.nhpco.org
National Council for Hospice & Specialist Palliative Care Services ( UK ) change the name of their organization and extend their mission.
“Welcome to a “special announcement” issue of E-News. Following changes agreed at our AGM on 21st September, the National Council for Hospice & Specialist Palliative Care Services will “today” officially launch under its new name, “The National Council for Palliative Care.” http://www.ncpc.org.uk/ We are extending our mission to promote the provision of palliative care for all who need it.
We will continue to promote improvement in the quality and availability of palliative care to people with cancer, their families and carers, and further promote the extension of palliative care to people with other life threatening conditions drawing, where appropriate, on the lessons learnt with cancer care.
Council will continue to speak with one voice on key issues and to influence government policy. As a multi-professional and collaborative body we will work closely with policy makers, regulators, national charities, user organisations and academic departments to ensure the widest possible dissemination of knowledge and best practice across all sectors.
Our website has been improved and updated and is now at a new address: visit www.ncpc.org.uk to learn about Council's work, buy publications, book places on an event or join our annual subscription scheme.
Our address and telephone numbers all remain the same, but if you would like to email any of National Council's staff the format has changed, for example:
[email protected]
becomes
[email protected]
If you have any questions about the future activities of *The National Council for Palliative Care* please call the HQ team on 020 7520 8299 or email [email protected]
We look forward to working with you and for you in the future.
Voices for Hospice 2005
“An opportunity for Hospice and Palliative Care services to raise funds and increase awareness of their work.”
“RAISE YOUR VOICE ON 8 OCTOBER 2005 !
“ When Voices for Hospices – the World’s largest singing event will take place in churches, village halls, theatres, concert halls, pubs, clubs, schools and a host of other venues right across the globe!
• Each event supports a local palliative care unit, to whom the net profits from the evening are donated.
• Each event brings vital publicity and attracts new hospice volunteers.
• Most important of all - each event allows communities to support their local hospice in a direct way.
Experience the atmosphere at our individual events, as we link together to celebrate all who turn to the hospice movement for help and all who provide it.”
For details please visit their web site:
http://www.voicesforhospices.org/frameset.html
Hungarian Hospice-Palliative Care Association Launches a monthly e-newsletter.
“ Hungarian Hospice-Palliative Association, with the support of the Open Society Institute Network Public Health Program's International Palliative Care Initiative and the European Association for Palliative Care. Our ultimate goal is to contribute to the development of care of the patients and families suffering with serious life-threatening illnesses. This newsletter is to bring us together, to share experiences between experts of the region, but also to show our profile to the world.” http://www.hospice.hu/
A Russian language version is also available.
To view the newsletter go to URL: http://www.hospice.hu/newsletter/
Response from a Clearinghouse Recipient
Dear Liliana,
Please accept my warm greetings and best wishes for you.
Last week we received your donation containing books, journals and educational materials on palliative care through IAHPC Clearing House Program. The materials are extremely useful and we have started a small department library with your donation. It will have free access to the doctors and nurses in our region. Many thanks… I hope you will continue this project with same enthusiasm.
Your donation has also prompted me to start an Academic Club in Palliative Care which will host regular monthly academic programs in palliative care for the medical professionals and volunteers. The program will be on every second Saturdays and will be freely accessible to all concerned. We had a trial run of the program last week and it was successful.
Once again thanking you very much for your encouragement and assistance. I humbly request you to continue the same.
With warm regards,
Dr.Prasanth.C.V.
Medical Officer, Palliative Care Division, Regional Cancer Centre,
Thiruvananthapuram - 695011, Kerala, India.
Meetings
Children’s Hospice International’s 17th World Congress will be held from
September 29- October 2, 2005 in Salt Lake City, Utah, USA.
Information is now available at www.chionline.org.
Early Bird Registration is now open!
Children's Hospice International
901 North Pitt Street, Suite 230
Alexandria , VA 22314
Phone: 703.684.0330
Fax: 703.684.0226
email: [email protected]
website: www.chionline.org
William Farr, MD
Newsletter Editor
www.hospicecare.com
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