On Saturday, 4th September, champions and supporters will walk to raise funds for the Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA). Using the Spar Virtual Women’s Challenge as its platform, this Backabuddy fundraising drive aims to raise a minimum of R50,000-00 to help keep hospice doors open.
The Covid-19 pandemic has hit hospices hard!
Leigh Meinert, Advocacy Manager for the HPCA, who will walk with her two young daughters, says: “Throughout this challenging time, hospices have continued to care for their usual patients in addition to patients suffering with Covid-19 complications. Hospices are enormously reliant on donations and, with South Africa’s current economic situation, we have unfortunately seen the closure of no fewer than 14 hospices in 2020 and 2021.”
“The HPCA has been similarly affected,” says Ewa Skowronska, CEO of the HPCA. “We are currently exploring all possible fundraising channels whilst simultaneously working on a sustainability plan. We are also very focused on keeping our communications, advocacy, training, mentorship and accreditation programmes ‘alive’ to be able to continue supporting our vital hospice members.”
The HPCA, founded in 1987 and a registered NPO in South Africa, is a member organisation for South African hospices. As a national charity, the association champions and supports around 89 member organisations that, in turn, provide hospice services to approximately 80,000 people per year. HPCA’s member hospices across South Africa care for patients with a variety of life-threatening diseases, predominantly in the comfort of their own homes.
SPAR is supporting the fundraising initiative through SPAR Western Cape’s social media channels. Says Elsabe van Zyl – Felix, Advertising Manager for SPAR Western Cape and Namibia: “We are so honoured that they have chosen our Spar Virtual Women’s Challenge as their fundraising platform. Our theme for this year is #LiveLimitless and palliative care does just that. It provides no limits to the quality of life, even when faced with a life-threatening diagnosis.”
Joining the team is Princess Celenhle Dlamini-Nyirenda – Co-founder of Ubuntu Institute for Young Social Enterprises: “I have enormous respect for the role played by hospices. Their mission to promote quality in life, dignity in death and support in bereavement for all living with a life-threatening illness (including Covid-19) epitomises Ubuntu in its pure form. I am a passionate advocate for quality, palliative care and am joining the Spar Virtual Women’s Challenge to help raise awareness for the indispensable work that the HPCA does and the great need it fills within our communities in need.”
Each hospice has a multidisciplinary health care team that includes a medical doctor, professional nurse, social worker and home-based carers. All hospice staff aim to ensure a good quality of life for patients who have been diagnosed with life-limiting illnesses and to prevent and relieve unnecessary suffering. This care also extends to families, especially after their loved ones have died and as they try to process their grief. It entails providing both medical and psychosocial care, spiritual support as well as end-of-life support.
“Hospices provide holistic care to those affected by life-threatening diseases, regardless of whether they can afford to pay for this or not. To date, approximately only 18% of patients in need of palliative care are able to access these services,” says Skowronska. “There is so much more work needing to be done, in addition to both maintaining and expanding upon the level of palliative care available in South Africa. We need to be growing our services, and not witnessing the current reverse – that of hospice closures.”
To help keep hospices alive and to offer your support, donations to their fundraising efforts can be made by visiting: https://www.backabuddy.co.za/champion/groups/keep-hospices-doors-open
