Introduction:

1. What is your name?
Mbongeni Nyawose

2. Which hospice do you work for?
South Coast Hospice

3. What do you do there?
Care Giver in the Inpatient Unit.

4. How long have you been there?
10 years.

In-depth:

1. Why did you decide to focus on palliative care?
I have a passion for working with terminally ill people on their journey to the end of their lives.

2. What gives you the greatest fulfilment?
Knowing that I have improved in some way the patient’s journey.

3. What do you find the most challenging?
Knowing that you cannot change the outcome, but you can make it more bearable.

4. What do you think people find the most challenging about a life-threatening diagnosis?
The fear of dying.

5. What do you think that you personally bring to your job that reflects who you are as a person?
I am kind and caring, hard-working and helpful to people around me.

6. How do you take care of your own health and balance?
By understanding my needs and tending to them.

7. What is your advice to anyone else wishing to join your profession?
They must have passion and love for what they are doing.

8. What is your advice to anyone given a life-threatening diagnosis?
They must get help for counselling and also be open to spiritual support.

9. What is your advice to the loved ones of anyone who is given a life-threatening diagnosis?
Counselling since they are also affected and how important it is to involve the patients in all the decisions that are made.

10. How do your loved ones feel about the work that you do?
They show me love and appreciation.

11. What do you like the most about the hospice that you work with?
We help people who cannot help themselves and we have compassion for the vulnerable and the poor.

12. Do you have a “motto” that you tend to live by that you would like to share?
Life is like a marathon.