{"id":2109,"date":"2024-08-19T18:10:58","date_gmt":"2024-08-20T01:10:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/mercyships.onpressidium.com\/?page_id=2109"},"modified":"2025-10-23T15:50:00","modified_gmt":"2025-10-23T22:50:00","slug":"palliative-care","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/mercyships.ca\/en\/palliative-care\/","title":{"rendered":"Palliative Care"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n\r\n\t\t\t\t\"program-palliatif-care\r\n

\r\n\t\tDignity for the terminally ill\r\n\t<\/h2>\r\n

\r\n\t\tProviding palliative care in developing nations\r\n\t<\/h3>\r\n\t\t\t\t\"banner\"\r\n\t

Canadians Irik and Cathy Mallie have served with the\u00a0Africa Mercy<\/i>\u00a0since 2009. Irik works as the ships chief engineer for the Engineering department and Cathy is the palliative care counselor for the Palliative Care department on the ship.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\t\tDignity in Developing Nations\r\n\t<\/h3>\r\n

\r\n\t\tCulture of the Now\r\n\t<\/h3>\r\n\t

Many people in Africa live day to day, with little thought or concern for the future. This oversight often leads to a lack of planning in many realms of life, including the inevitability of death. This becomes even more apparent in the presence of terminal illness, when families do not possess sufficient knowledge to help their loved one come to the end of their life in peace, comfort and dignity.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\t\tThe Problem\r\n\t<\/h3>\r\n\t

Often, people who request surgical or medical help from Mercy Ships are unable to receive assistance because of inoperable and terminal conditions. Many of these people who are physically suffering from incurable diseases are also suffering from rejection, misunderstanding and fear by their friends, families and communities. There are few, if any, groups within the community who provide counseling, support and end-of-life care to grieving families.<\/p>\r\n

The Mercy Ships Palliative Care Team compassionately serves those who cannot be helped by the ship’s surgical staff. Physical, psychological, social and spiritual needs are addressed by the team’s medical and counseling staff.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\t\tProviding Education, Comfort and Peace\r\n\t<\/h3>\r\n

\r\n\t\tWhy Palliative Care?\r\n\t<\/h3>\r\n\t

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the difficulties associated with life-threatening illness. This is accomplished through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems – physical, psychosocial and spiritual.<\/p>\r\n

\r\n\t\tWe Seek to Empower and Restore\r\n\t<\/h3>\r\n\t