Here you can find the latest press releases and the key messages for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day.
If you have any PR and press enquiries about World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, please contact: the Help the Hospices media team on +44 (0) 207 520 8251 or email media@helpthehospices.org.uk.
Press releases
WPCA press release for new report for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day - 8 October 2011
Press release on mapping report for hospice and palliative care services to use for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day
Download the generic press release for people who are doing events and activities
Hospice and palliative care celebrated around the world
22 September 2011
To mark World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2011, with Voices for Hospices (8 October 2011),thousands of people in around 80 countries will be coming together at more than 1,000 events to celebrate, support and speak up about hospice and palliative care.
This year’s World Hospice and Palliative Care Day theme is 'many diseases, many lives, many voices – palliative care for non-communicable conditions.'
The theme will focus on how people living with conditions which are not infectious can benefit from palliative care. Non-communicable diseases (NCDs), which include cardiovascular diseases, cancers, chronic respiratory conditions and diabetes, make up 60% of death worldwide. The majority of these deaths occur in low and middle income countries, where palliative care is often not available.
Globally, NCDs will increase by 17% in the next 10 years. Therefore, this world day hospice and palliative care services around the world will be raising awareness about how palliative care can improve the quality of life for people with NCDs and their families.
David Praill, co-chair of the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance, from the UK’s Help the Hospices, explains:
"While more than 100 million patients and family caregivers worldwide need palliative care every year, less than eight per cent actually receive it. Palliative care is a human right, yet there are millions of people, especially in the developing world, dying in pain and distress every year.
"Much more needs to be done to increase prevention and treatment of non-communicable diseases and we need to make sure palliative care is a fundamental part of the global response."
Encouragingly, in September this year, high level representatives from UN member states met in New York to make commitments to address the huge and growing burden of NCDs. At this meeting, UN member states recognised the need to increase access to palliative care for people with NCDs. This world day Help the Hospices is urging governments around the world to support the UN’s commitment to improving access to palliative care for people living with NCDs.
Activities around the world include: the premiere of a film screening in Nairobi, Kenya; a walk for palliative care in Pune, India; the launch of a cancer patients network in Mexico City; a Quilt Show in New Zealand; a symposium in Recife, Brazil and press conference in Rivne, Ukraine.
Musical events to celebrate Voices for Hospices are being organised in every continent and include a concerts in Jamaica, South Africa, Malaysia and the Czech Republic.
To find out more about World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2011 visit www.worldday.org
Media enquires
Please contact the Help the Hospices media team.
About World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2011
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (8 October 2011) is a unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world.
The secretariat for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is provided by Help the Hospices, the UK charity for hospice care.
About the Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance
The Worldwide Palliative Care Alliance is an alliance of national and regional hospice and palliative care organisations, bringing together people around the world with a shared vision of universal access to quality palliative care.
