Maya* [44], was a hard working single mother with a 12-year-old daughter as her only child. Her quality of life deteriorated after being diagnosed with a stage-four cervix cancer. The symptoms that accompanied the disease and the pain were overwhelming for her and the stigma associated with it caused her to lose her self-esteem and hope for life. Her main concern was for her daughter who would be left all by herself after she was gone. When it was clear that her treatments could no more cure her she was admitted to a hospice for symptom management.

The hospice team, along with INF’s PC staff [Manju], provided her with holistic care by combining pain and symptom management with psychological, social and spiritual support for her as well as her family. The hospice care allowed her to live the last days of her life as well as possible, and to die with dignity. Maya’s sister-in-law has promised to take care of her daughter.

There are many more like Maya who are living with and dying from life-limiting conditions and in need of palliative and end-of life care.

Today, 8 Oct, on World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, we would like to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world.

INF’s Palliative Care programme began in GPH mid-2013, and within INF’s Sanjaal programme from mid-2015.

The Palliative Care programme aims to provide holistic care to people with life limiting illnesses, and their families. It includes pain and symptom management as well as end-of-life care. With INF’s focus on the poor and marginalised, we are in a unique position to contribute to palliative care development in Nepal, particularly in the under-resourced Western Regions.

To read about our PC work click here.

To download the PC Newsletters that include the updates on how INF is supporting PC development in Nepal click here.

*Maya’s name has been changed to protect her anonymity.