WHAT WE DO
WE BRING CARE TO THOSE IN NEED
According to the 2017, Lancet Commission report, only 11% of people in Uganda have access to pain relief medicines and palliative care. This means that 89% of people suffering with a chronic, life-limiting illness endure pain, psychological distress and social loneliness. To help with the overwhelming gap, KCC began to bring palliative care to remote, rural areas in South Western Uganda.
Our efforts to meet the need fall into one of four primary categories:
Clinical Palliative Care
A specialized type of health care that aims to prevent and relieve health related suffering while improving the quality of life for patients and their families. “You matter because you are you, and you matter to the end of your life. We will do all we cannot only to help you die peacefully, but also to live until you die” (Dame Cicely Saunders, the founder of palliative care).
Palliative care can help with:
- Easing pain and other distressing symptoms
- Coping with the illness
- Addressing emotional, practical and spiritual concerns
- Affirming life and regarding dying as a normal process
- Offering a support system for the family.
Cancer Treatment Support
In Uganda, only 1 in 4 people diagnosed with cancer receive treatment at Uganda’s Cancer Institute in Kampala (located 8 hours from Kabale). A smaller cancer institute is located 3 hours from Kabale in Mbarara City. Many cannot afford transport, food, accommodation and medications to receive cancer treatment since the average person makes $2/day. Because of the great need, KCC supports 10 patients and their caregivers to receive cancer therapy.
Psychosocial Support
Social workers and counselors provide psychosocial care to the patient and caregivers to provide bereavement counseling and discuss various issues (ie depression, anxiety, loss) that they might be feeling. In addition, the social department ensures every patient has a legal written will, which brings peace and a sense of security to the patient and family. After a loss, the team continues to follow up with the family for months to years to come.
Raising Awareness
Raising awareness is important because it helps people understand how palliative care can improve the quality of life for those in need. Awareness has been raised through the following:
- Radio talk shows
- Church health talks
- Speaking at rotary/rotaract club and a medical University
- Distributing posters in the local language
- Training village volunteers who provide care to their community
- Celebrating the annual World Hospice and Palliative Care day while inviting a news station to create a story