PCQ’s Volunteer Village Shining Star Awards 2023
Why did you decide to become a volunteer for PCQ?
Having journeyed with friends and family diagnosed with end-stage conditions, it was clear that more awareness and funding was required to support families on their end-of-life journey.
For some time, there has been public comment about reduced resources for palliative services. With the introduction of assisted dying, there were new concerns about further pressures on funding for standard palliative care services.
Rather than complain about the lack of funding, I thought taking action and offering my services directly was better. The opportunity to look at funding models and community infrastructure with new financing initiatives presented a worthwhile challenge.
What does Palliative Care mean to you?
Palliative care is not the ‘end stage’ care we sometimes consider it to be. It is much more.
I saw the palliative care TV advertisement that advocated “it is more than you think”, and it struck a chord with me.
When we enter the last period of our life (in sports parlance, the fourth quarter), we will all come to know our means of death. Without getting too dark, we might want to think about how we might approach a difficult diagnosis with a subsequent lifestyle change and how we interact and rely on family and friends as we approach the difficult end stages. There are many aspects of facing life’s reality that we need to consider and seek appropriate support.
Palliative care for me is being able to go on this journey and to adapt and choose options needed to manage our final stage in a more supported and meaningful way.
Being aware and engaging with the changed lifestyle that a serious diagnosis brings is a very important set of decisions and choices. Being informed and prepared might help us, and others.
My sense is that a positive palliative care pathway aims to support the individuals, and the family’s needs, to live the best life in the time available. While assisted dying might be appropriate in specific situations, many options are possible with a robust palliative care infrastructure and an informed community.
