caringspain.com

Caring Together - Defying the odds.
Promoting and providing hospice-type care since 1996

by Henry Lock.

I write on the day on which there have been two items of good news from the USA.

Two men have been declared symptom-free of melanoma 4 (skin cancer at its worst) after two years of treatment with genetic modifications of their own immune cells. A red letter day for both for them and for genetic modification in general.

It is also the day when Jane Tomlinson completed her bike ride from the west to the east coast of the United States - having been told six years ago that her cancer left her only six months to live.

What’s more, the BBC has just emailed some thought-provoking material suggesting that there is no reason, in theory, why the expanding armory of the medical profession should not extend our expectation of life by many, many years. (BBC Email Headline “Never Wither,” 31 August). There seems no limit to the progress to be observed in the practice of curative medicine !

But, whatever wonders await our grandchildren, there are going to be a great many older readers of this paper who will face a painful, distressing (if not agonising) death in the not so distant future if  palliative care services, which are designed to improve the quality of life’s last days, do not get off from their slowish start to achieve a much higher level of demand and use in the next decade or two.

Working on Costa Blanca, our Association is devoted to promoting, providing and improving palliative care for those to whom doctors can hold out no prospect of a cure when the end of life is in sight.

Year on year, more Spanish doctors and nurses are taking sabbaticals to attend special courses to improve their skills in “cuidados paliativos”, palliative care. That’s good.

Sometimes they find that the public health services are unable to create sufficient posts for them, once qualified. That’s Spain !

It means they may be obliged to work in the expensive private sector.

Our own work, as a private Association, is to do all we can to ensure that those who need palliative care are able to receive it - at our expense if necessary. Every time we succeed, word of mouth recommendations ensure that the demand for such services increases.

Each of our members has undertaken a special responsibility. But you don’t have to become a member to be a supporter !

For more information, visit www.caringspain.com or email info@caringspain.com To share your worries with us, or to make fundraising suggestions, phone 966761944 (CB South) or 965894240 (CB North). We are NOT restricted to cancer care as some organizations are.  Our service extends to every type of infirmity which is bringing life to an end;   we serve patients and carers of all nationalities and languages, all races and religions. All ages! Help us spread the news that peace and tranquility are possible as life is ending.  It’s good news for all. Please help us make it a reality for all.

But please remember, too, that every case is different - the degree of skill required to provide palliative care services is increasing all the time. Here in Spain there are three-year courses in palliative care available to experienced doctors. Even auxiliary carers should have the appropriate diploma.

Caring Together is making headway but we are not, as yet, able to afford to employ medical staff. We contract the necessary carers if they cannot be provided by the public health services.

What we are able to achieve may sometimes be limited by lack of funds or suitably qualified staff. So Legacies are always welcome! We can supply your lawyer with the details he will need to meet your wishes.  Let’s add dignity, perhaps even some happiness, to the end of someone else’s life by leaving some of what you cannot take with you to this support this important work!