News

Volunteers with the Cancer Council NSW’s CanAct have recently been busy around the state promoting Palliative Care and advocating for workforce improvements within Palliative Care services.

In Parramatta today the volunteers from the Western Sydney Cancer Action Network hosted a forum to talk about Palliative Care to an audience of state and federal parliamentarians, clinicians, consumer advocates, supporters and members of the public.

One of the speakers was Nicole (pictured), a volunteer with the Cancer Council, who shared a personal story about the death of her husband and the support they received through having good access to Palliative Care staff and dedicated care facilities. In reflecting on her experience Nicole believes that Palliative Care is best performed by having a community of support around the person who is dying.

“We say that it takes a village to raise a child, well I think it takes a village to support someone at end of life too.”

Other speakers included Dr Philip Lee (Director of Supportive and Palliative Medicine, Western Sydney Local Health District) and Linda Hansen (Executive Officer, Palliative Care NSW).

In 2016 the Cancer Council commenced a Palliative Care Volunteer service in Newcastle in conjunction with the Newcastle Mater Hospital, with a possible Palliative Care Volunteer service in the Hunter Valley area starting in 2017.