BLOEMFONTEIN. As World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD) approaches on Saturday, 11 October, a special photographic campaign was launched to tell real-life stories to create awareness of palliative care in South African communities.
This project by the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) called Through the Palliative Care Lens, aims to educate the public about comprehensive palliative care services and to advocate for wider equitable access to palliative care.
Hanneke Lubbe, CEO of Hospice Bloemfontein and APCC chairperson in the Free State, says palliative care is a comprehensive service that integrates clinical expertise, emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity and ethical considerations.
“It is more than simply providing comfort to terminally ill patients,” she explains.
“The APCC’s ‘Through the Palliative Care Lens’ campaign aims to visually showcase the reality of the practice in action, with both the patient and their loved ones being supported from the point of diagnosis.”
The association’s non-profit member organisations, currently numbering 70, have submitted photographs taken in homes, clinics and communities that reflect the lived experience of patients.
These visual galleries and accompanying captions, which provide the necessary context, are free to view by the public, medical professionals and media.
“We want to visually share real on-the-ground scenarios,” says Lubbe. “It is essential that people understand the tangible difference palliative care makes to the lives of patients and their families so that they reach out to members early and are supported as soon as they have received their diagnosis.”
While financial support from the national Department of Health varies across provinces, many member organisations, often referred to as hospices, rely on fundraising to sustain their operations and deliver essential palliative services.
“While the association recognises the importance of ongoing, respectful engagement with the topic of medically assisted dying,” says Lubbe, “we believe that there needs to be a focus on making sure that palliative care is available to everyone; and that medically assisted dying is considered outside of the broader framework of palliative care. Before we debate how people die, we must ensure they have access to the care that helps them live with dignity.”
The APCC’s CEO, Motlalentoa Motsoane, encourages every South African to take time to view the WHPCD2025 website at https://apcc.org.za/world-hospice-palliative-care-day-2025/ .
“These visual galleries truly encapsulate the extraordinary strength of effective palliative care in South Africa,” he says.
You must be logged in to post a comment.