May 15, 2024 | Press Releases
In South Africa, The Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) is the member organisation for three palliative care centres in Mpumulanga and 91 nationally, many of which call themselves hospices.
May 15, 2024 | Press Releases
In South Africa, The Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) is the member organisation for 20 palliative care centres in Gauteng and 91 nationally, many of which call themselves hospices.
May 15, 2024 | Press Releases
In South Africa, The Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) is the member organisation for 3 palliative care centres in the Free State and 91 nationally, many of which call themselves hospices.
May 15, 2024 | Press Releases
The APCC is the only organisation in South Africa that has developed accredited Standards for Palliative Healthcare Services which are services that not only support the thousands of patients cared for nationwide, but their loved ones too.
January 17, 2024 | Press Releases
Relaunched in February 2023 in the Winelands, this popular event is back in the Cape Town seaboard this year and taking place during the 10’s event on Saturday, 3rd February.
September 17, 2023 | Press Releases
World Hospice Palliative Care Day takes place on 14 October 2023. The former Hospice Palliative Care Association, now the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) is using the day to raise funds for fuel for their members, many of whom refer to themselves as hospices.
August 24, 2023 | Press Releases
As of the 1st of September 2023, the Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) will now be known as the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC).
May 04, 2023 | Press Releases
Hospice Week takes place this year from 7 – 13 May 2023. Every year, this week focuses on highlighting the role that hospices play in the medical and healthcare landscape. This year, it takes place post the Palliative Care Conference (held late April) that brought together the diverse disciplines that make up palliative care services and highlighted the holistic nature of this very special and essential service.
April 13, 2023 | Press Releases
The Palliative Care Conference taking place from 26 – 29 April at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town is a collaborative venture between three leading palliative care organisations in the country – the Association of Palliative Care Practitioners of South Africa (PALPRAC), Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa (HPCA) and Palliative Care for Children South Africa (PatchSA). Its theme ‘Palliative Care Is Everyone’s Business’ raises awareness of the need for palliative care to be considered essential care and a basic human right for all persons diagnosed with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness and that palliative care encompasses far more than care given at the end of life.
April 12, 2023 | Press Releases
“This rebranding is not just a visual change,” says Ewa Skowronska, CEO of the APCC. “It is an important message to all medical professionals and the public that our members (many of whom still refer to themselves as hospices) offer quality, specialised and expert palliative care services. Too many people equate hospice with end-of-life only and many medical professionals refer very late.
March 29, 2023 | Press Releases
The Palliative Care Conference taking place from 26 – 29 April at the Vineyard Hotel in Cape Town is a collaborative venture between three leading palliative care organisations in the country – the Association of Palliative Care Practitioners of South Africa (PALPRAC), Palliative Care for Children South Africa (PatchSA) and the Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA).
January 25, 2023 | Press Releases
Lace Up for Cancer is back – and with it, your opportunity to get involved and make a difference! After a pause during the pandemic, the NGO Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) in collaboration with the Cancer Alliance and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), are delighted to announce our leading sponsor, Life Healthcare, whose support is making the revival of this popular event possible.
January 13, 2023 | Press Releases
Lace up for Cancer is back – and with it, your opportunity to get involved and make a difference! After a lull during the pandemic, the Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) in collaboration with the Cancer Alliance and the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), are thrilled to announced the revival of this popular event.
November 14, 2022 | Press Releases
Held annually on 1 December, ‘World AIDS Day’ is a global day dedicated to raising awareness of the AIDS pandemic caused by the spread of the HIV infection and remembering those who have died from this disease. Palliative care plays a critical role in the treatment of HIV/ AIDS sufferers. “Palliative care is focused on improving the quality of life for all patients diagnosed with a life-threatening or life-changing illness,” says Dr Ewa Skowronska, CEO of the HPCA
September 20, 2022 | Press Releases
Saturday, 8 October is World Hospice Palliative Care Day 2022 (WHPCD2022). An annual awareness day, this year is particularly poignant in light of the pandemic filled years that we’ve all endured as well as the socio-economic and political volatility that the globe is experiencing. This has led to levels of unprecedented global grief and the World Hospice Palliative Care Association has announced that their theme for 2022 will be healing hearts and communities.
April 19, 2022 | Press Releases
Hospice Week takes place this year from 1 – 7 May 2022. Every year, this week focuses on highlighting the role that hospices play in the medical and healthcare landscape. In 2022, this conversation is more important than ever before as the Covid-19 pandemic not only highlighted the topic of death, but also highlighted that palliative care is an oft-misunderstood service – that it is considered to be “end-of-life” care, and not the holistic service that it actually is for anyone diagnosed with a life-threatening illness
February 04, 2022 | Press Releases
“You only die once, but you live every day,” – an expression many of us have heard and one that may particularly resonate after the last two years. The Covid-19 pandemic has caused many of us to re-evaluate our lives – to take stock of our priorities and to decide whether our life design, as it is, works for us. For many, this has led to life altering decisions and changes and, for many, it has led to embracing life within a ‘new normal’, complete with a new ‘bucket list’.
January 24, 2022 | Press Releases
This 4th February is World Cancer Day. According to data collated from members of the Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) at the end of 2021; no fewer than 5,120 people were assisted post-cancer diagnoses, with 4,293 receiving care across 52 hospices. Says Ewa Skowronska, CEO of the HPCA: “Despite the importance of palliative care being available to any individual diagnosed with a
November 12, 2021 | Press Releases
World AIDS Day on 1 December shines a spotlight on a virus that has been a subject of scientific research and debate since the virus was identified in the 1980s. According to Statistics South Africa: “The estimated overall HIV prevalence rate is approximately 13,7% among the South African population. The total number of people living with HIV (PLWHIV) is estimated at approximately 8,2 million in 2021. For adults aged 15–49 years, an estimated 19,5% of the population is HIV positive.”
September 29, 2021 | Press Releases
9 October is World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, a day that this sector is spotlighted across the globe. The Covid-19 pandemic has brought the reality of a life-threatening diagnosis into everyone’s homes; and yet, 14 members of the Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) had to close their doors in 2020 and 2021 due to lack of funding.
August 06, 2021 | Press Releases
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.
July 13, 2021 | Press Releases
Launching on 13 July 2021, The Grief Handbook by Bridget McNulty, will be available to South Africans on Takealot.
June 09, 2021 | Press Releases
The closure of Charlotte Maxeke Hospital since April is creating a health crisis in Gauteng. As reported by Mandy Wiener on News24, “two other hospitals have been hit by water shortages…the provincial health system is at breaking point and it cannot go on.”
April 26, 2021 | Press Releases
Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, palliative care is now more in the mainstream eye than ever before. Dedicated to the holistic treatment of life-threatening diagnoses, as well as to the care of end-of-life patients, those in the palliative care sector are experts in promoting quality of living and dignity in death – a topic that has become increasingly relevant since March 2021.
March 22, 2021 | Press Releases
The Palliative Care community mourns the recent passing of Dr. Sarah Fakoodreen, a medical doctor, esteemed colleague and champion of palliative care in South Africa. Dr. Sarah, as she was fondly known, passed away suddenly on 14th March 2021 at the age of 72.
February 17, 2021 | Press Releases
The Hospice Palliative Care Association (HPCA) recently launched three updated palliative care courses for a diversity of healthcare providers within the healthcare and medical sector. The courses aim to provide an overview of palliative care as well as orientate and introduce health care providers to palliative care principles and processes. The courses are available in both online and face-to-face formats (in alignment with pandemic restrictions).
February 03, 2021 | Press Releases
A webinar, focused on highlighting the imperative for a concerted and collaborative effort to accelerate access to palliative care during Covid-19 and beyond, took place on Sunday, 24 January 2021. The Department of Health has meanwhile invited the organisers – the Medical Research Council (MRC) and the Palliative Care Action Group (PCAG) - to meet with it to discuss the matter.
January 25, 2021 | Press Releases
A webinar, focused on highlighting the imperative for a concerted and collaborative effort to accelerate access to palliative care during Covid-19 and beyond, took place on Sunday, 24 January 2021.
January 25, 2021 | Press Releases
Thursday 4th February is World Cancer Day. Amidst the current challenging circumstances, hospices around South Africa continue to care for thousands of cancer patients. During the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic, cancer has taken somewhat of a back seat to the virus which continues to dominate the local and global media landscape, but cancer still remains one of the biggest killers in our nation.
October 12, 2020 | Press Releases
13 October 2020: Desteny Adams, a single mother of four, of which two are adopted, was promoted in October to the position of Manager of the newly opened In-Patient Unit (IPU) at Centurion Hospice in Pretoria. Adams is originally from Yzerfontein in the Western Cape and has found a new life and family in Pretoria.
October 06, 2020 | Press Releases
Hundreds of hospice events are taking place across the globe for 10 October- World Hospice & Palliative Care Day - to highlight the role that palliative care plays in healthcare as well as the role that it is playing during the Covid-19 pandemic.
August 07, 2020 | Press Releases
Hospices are currently playing a valuable and unseen role in the Covid-19 crisis. According to Tersia Burger, CEO of Stepping Stone Hospice & Care Services in Alberton: “Palliative care is available to anyone who is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness and we are increasingly recognising that Covid-19 infections fit within that category.”