Where the Need is Great & Resources are Few: Improving Access to Palliative Care Globally

ALEXANDRIA, Va., June 22, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Global Partners in Care is pleased to announce that four U.S. organizations have signed partnership agreements with health care organizations to improve access to hospice and palliative care in Nepal, India, Uganda, and South Africa. Each U.S. partner will work with their international partner to expand access to palliative care in the local region.

"Global Partners in Care is committed to supporting hospice and palliative care organizations globally," says Global Partners in Care Executive Director, John Mastrojohn. "A large percentage of the global need for palliative care is in low and middle income countries and we are eager to establish more partnerships in Africa and in other parts of the world where the need is great."

At Home Health and Hospice and Drakenstein Palliative Hospice

At Home Health and Hospice provides services in the Philadelphia area north of the Pocono Mountains.  Looking for opportunities to support hospice internationally, At Home Health and Hospice has partnered with Drakenstein Palliative Hospice located in Western Cape, South Africa.

"We were immediately drawn to Drakenstein for their expansive program and their willingness to do anything and everything for their patients and families," says At Home and Health Chief of Nursing, Patrick Stonich. "We are so excited to get started, collaborate, and start conversations on how to make a bigger impact."

Akron Children's Hospital Palliative Care Center and Happy Feet Home

"While almost half a world apart, the Haslinger Family Pediatric Palliative Care Center at Akron Children's Hospital and the Happy Feet Home in Mumbai have the same primary goal -- to provide children who have life-shortening conditions with every opportunity to live a high-quality and dignified life," says Chair of the Department of Pediatrics at Akron Children's Hospital, Dr. Norm Christopher. "We are pleased and proud to be sharing our experiences with our international partner to help us be even better prepared to advance our common mission: comprehensive, compassionate care for the world's most vulnerable citizens."

The Haslinger Family Pediatric Palliative Care provides services in over 47 counties in Ohio and eight other states. Their partner, Happy Feet Home is India's first children's hospice. The organization created a space this past year for terminally ill children in Mumbai to participate in planned activities, music and art therapy, counseling, and respite care.

Delaware Hospice, Inc. and Hospice Nepal

Delaware Hospice is the largest community-based hospice providing care in Pennsylvania and southern Chester and Delaware counties. The organization partnered with Hospice Nepal to offer information and knowledge to the hospice and the community it serves.

"Delaware Hospice and Hospice Nepal have very similar beginnings; both set of founders saw a need for quality hospice care in their communities," says Public Relations Specialist, Jennifer Saienni.  "Being a homegrown organization and partnering with Hospice Nepal, we will look forward to incorporating a global perspective on our hospice and healthcare services."

Optum Palliative and Hospice Care and Mbale Regional Hospital

Optum Palliative and Hospice Care – Denver, a palliative care and community based hospice care in the greater Denver area, has partnered with Mbale Regional Hospital located in Mbale, Uganda, to support their palliative care unit. 

"Our goal is to extend our hands across the continents and the ocean to help our African brothers and sisters receive the same heart felt compassionate end-of-life care that everyone on our planet deserves," says Optum Operations Specialist, William Miles.

The partnership will provide funds for patient transportation, staff cell phone airtime, and basic supplies for the palliative care unit such as gloves and wound dressings. 

To date there are more than 80 international partnerships between U.S. and international hospice and palliative care organizations.

At this time Global Partners in Care has hospice and palliative care organizations in Africa and India waiting to be partnered with an organization in the U.S.

To learn more about international partnership opportunities and other ways to support Global Partners in Care, please visit the website at www.globalpartnersincare.org.

About Global Partners in Care

Global Partners in Care is an affiliate of the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. Its mission is building partnerships to enhance compassionate care globally and its vision is a world where individuals and families facing serious illness, death, and grief will experience the best that humankind can offer.

Contact:
Anita Brikman
Senior Vice President of Strategic Communications
[email protected] 
703-837-3154

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SOURCE Global Partners in Care