Fundraiser for free palliative care NGO Hospice Malta

Hospice Malta, a local NGO that provides and promotes free palliative care for persons suffering from life limiting illnesses will be organising a nation-wide fundraiser to sustain the vast array of services it provides to patients and their families.

The fundraiser will be held on Friday, 26 April 2019 during the TV programme Xarabank on TVM.

In a statement, Hospice Malta chairperson Maria Gatt underlined the important work the NGO does when it comes to maintaining patients' independence, dignity and life quality, and the plans it has for setting up a complex for providing palliative care,

“We believe that our patients are unique and valued individuals, and at Hospice Malta, our main aim is to preserve their independence, dignity and quality of life. We offer their families and friends an environment where they feel accepted and safe whilst providing them the support needed during the patient’s illness and during the time of bereavement,” Gatt said.

“Our future plans include the setting up and running of a complex dedicated entirely to providing free comprehensive palliative care to our patients. This complex will be Malta’s first facility that will significantly enhance the present palliative care services to patients in their own homes and communities,” she added.

Founded in 1989, Hospice Malta’s primary role is to provide and promote palliative care services to patients suffering from cancer, motor-neuron disease, end-of-life cardiac, respiratory, renal and liver diseases.

The NGO offers its services through a professional multidisciplinary team. Its array of services include, Home Services delivered by the team – including nurses, doctors, physiotherapists, psychologist, social workers, complementary therapist and the Hospice chaplain; Day Therapy Services offering various activities for patients during the day and also including physiotherapy services, complementary therapy, spiritual and emotional support sessions, crafts and hairdressing as well as hydrotherapy services; professional care assistance at the patients’ home to support the patient whilst also serving as a form of respite to family members, as well as an after-hours on-call service.

Specialised equipment, such as fully motorised beds, lifters, wheelchairs, mobility equipment, respiratory equipment and syringe drivers, amongst others, are also provided according to the patients’ needs.

This greatly improves the independence of the patient and saves them the cost of purchasing the equipment, thus allowing them to live in their own home surrounded by their loved ones at this most vulnerable time, the NGO highlighted.

New patients referred to Hospice Malta are followed prior to discharge from acute hospital, whereas those already registered with the NGO are followed up at the hospital, ensuring seamless intervention in both cases, it said.

Hospice Malta also provides bereavement support services to the patients’ families following the patients’ demise.

The patient and family centred palliative care offered targets the relief of pain and other physical symptoms as well as emotional, psycho-social and spiritual issues.

More information can be obtained at HospiceMalta.org.