Compassionate care to make palliative patients comfortable
During a trip in 2011, Lyle Burgoyne & his team of volunteers went to make a presentation at the Nakuru Rotary club on what Kenya Health were doing and how they were making a difference in Kenya. At that meeting, Lyle was introduced to the great need of palliative patients in Kenya. He was invited to visit the Nakuru Hospice and was very impressed by the work done there, and by the late Mr J.S. Shah.
However the patients that attended the hospice were not able to access the life-changing pain relief medication that was required for their total palliative care. It was obvious that there was a need for more support to get the required medications. Since then, Kenya Health has sponsored the Nakuru Hospice each month, providing desperately needed pain-relief medication to those with serious terminal illnesses. Our support to the hospice reaches to all patients in need of palliative care.
Palliative Care is defined by World Health Organization (WHO), as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing problems associated with life-threatening illness. This care is provided through the relief of suffering by the treatment of pain with medication and other problems associated with palliative care, including physical, psychological and spiritual.
Kenya Health’s workers are also involved in the psycho-social support of the patients and caregivers during the day care sessions and volunteer their technical services when they have functions i.e. fundraisers and open days.