With a palliative care team by her side, Mrs T didn’t have to do all the caring for her husband – she was able to just be his wife. Mr and Mrs T had been married for 40 years when Mr T was diagnosed with serious cancer. They were devoted partners, and Mrs T did all of the caring for...
Oncologist, Dr Irene Hitchin, has seen first-hand the power of early referral palliative care, which is why she introduces palliative care to her serious cancer patients at the first consult – along with the curative treatment plan. The effects are powerful. Clinical and radiation oncologist, Dr Irene Hitchin’s advanced cancer patients have a bit of an advantage. Dr Hitchin is a...
Zodwa Sithole, Head of Advocacy for CANSA, lost her sister, Elizabeth, to cancer 10 years ago. Because no one had offered Elizabeth palliative care early on, she experienced a lot of pain and uncertainty. This is Zodwa’s story… Before Zodwa Sithole became the Head of Advocacy for the Cancer Association of South Africa (CANSA), she was a nurse, with training in...
Heather Duiker* is 78. Her daughter, Geraldine (45) describes her mom as creative, loyal, and straight-forward. Two years ago, Heather was diagnosed with metastatic lung cancer, and Geraldine now adds “tough” to the list describing her mom. “When we heard the diagnosis, there was such disbelief. Then we were just shattered,” says Geraldine. But Heather just wanted to find out what she...
Through honest conversations with a palliative care doctor, discussing preferences for her ongoing care and early referral to palliative care, Nina was given the opportunity to consider what was important to her, and her young family. Nina* was a teacher. Married, with a 3-year-old daughter, she was 35 when she was diagnosed with a rare soft tissue cancer, which had spread...
