KNYSNA NEWS - To mark World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2019 on Saturday 12 October 2019, thousands of people across 80 countries will be "coming together" to celebrate, support and speak up about the importance of hospice and palliative care.

Every two years, there is a wave of concerts taking place all over the world and in Knysna, Music and Voices for Hospice will bring people together on Friday 15 November in the DR Church Hall in Fichat Street at 19:00, for a show centred around the music and lyrics of My Fair Lady performed by internationally recognised musicians and singers. 

Tickets are available from Hospice at B.O.N.D House, 24 Wilson St, Hunters Home, Knysna, tel 044 3840593. 

There will be a second performance in Plettenberg Bay on Saturday 16 November at The White House, with tickets available from Lady Conyngham 044 533 5178 or The Old House Shop, 8 Kloof St, tel 044 533 2010.

'Failing patients'
“At a time where medical communication seems to be failing patients in both the private and public sectors, palliative medicine represents a model of team-based professional care where patient and family inclusion in decision-making can inspire a model of medical care which offers dignity and reduces the risk of burnout in healthcare workers,” said Knysna Sedgefield Hospice chief executive Dr Janet Stanford.

This theme for this year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is My Care, My Right and aims to communicate that palliative care can be demanded by the public – and that, together, every person impacted by a life-limiting illness can influence their policymakers to prioritise palliative care financing under Universal Health Coverage.

• Worldwide, more than 25.5-million people die every year after serious suffering that required palliative care.
• The number of people who experience serious health-related suffering is much higher, with an additional 35.5-million people requiring some degree of palliative care outside of end-of-life care.

Government responsibility

• Family carers and volunteers are a key component of palliative care services as they provide essential support. Governments have a responsibility under Universal Health Coverage to provide resources for care delivery to ensure patients have palliative care services.
• Less than 10% of the overall need for palliative care is being met globally.
• More than 80% of these cases are in low and middle-income countries, where access to immediate-release oral morphine, an essential and inexpensive medicine to alleviate pain, as well any other type of palliative care, is severely lacking.
• Global policies restricting access to opioids mean that millions of people are denied medicines to relieve pain linked to illness or injury.

Dr Stephen Connor, executive director of the WHPCA, explains: "This year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is about collectively saying that palliative care is the right of every man, woman and child. Together we can stop unnecessary pain and distress during illness and at the end of life.”

Campaign activities around the world include a 500-person Voices for Hospices concert in the United Kingdom; a TEDx-style public speech in Shanghai, China; a public hearing on palliative care in the Sorcoba court of law in Sao Paulo, Brazil; as well as public events and celebrations across the world.

Find out more, visit www.worldday.org

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