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The Daffodil Cottage Palliative Care team held an information session at the Armada shopping center on Tuesday.

Locals were able to talk with the team about their work and how the Daffodil cottage co-operates with various support agencies in Bathurst to help patients with life-shortening illnesses.

Western New South Wales palliative care nurse consultant, James Daley, says the information session is a way to provide critical information to locals.

“People come and talk about their relatives who have been given bad news and need to know what help there is in the community for a person who has been told that they have a disease which cannot be cured.”

The information session also provides support for family members and carers of cancer patients, to help them better cope with the process of palliative care.

“Often people leaving the table feeling reassured that there is help out there when they will really need it…Some people just want somewhere to talk to someone about a loved one they recently lost to cancer.” Mr. Daley said.

Another goal of the Information session was to provide locals with a guideline for Advance care planning.

The fact sheet provided by the Daffodil cottage team can help someone make decisions on the treatment they would like to receive if they were to fall seriously ill and were unable to communicate.

Mr. Daley discussed the importance of providing Advance Care Planning information.

“People ask do I need an advanced care plan now? Even though I’m fit and healthy? Or they might need to know more information about the legalities of advanced care planning…all the information they need is right there” Mr Daley said.

The Palliative Care information table will run again on the first Tuesday of every month at the Armada shopping center.

PHOTO: Pat McDonald (left) talks with palliative care nurse consultant James Daley during an information session in the Bathurst CBD. Photo by Chris Seabrook.

This article originally appeared in the Western Advocate.