INSIGHTS – 2024 Q3
Each edition of INSIGHTS we share news of new initiatives and updates on existing programs and collaborations with our partner organizations. All of which are not possible without the incredible support of you, our donors, and the incredible dedication of the 70+ healthcare professionals who volunteer their time to Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration.
TWCC continues to support programs in India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Philippines and Bhutan. Along with online ECHO education reaching countries in East Africa and the Eastern Mediterranean Region.
Senior Staff Nurse Lailatul Ferdous talks with a patient in the palliative care department at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Photo: Fabeha Monir/Two Worlds Cancer
The impact of unwavering care
Tens of thousands of patients and their families receive compassionate care and support through the trajectory of their illnesses from our partners in Hyderabad, India each year.
"Throughout Caleb’s prolonged battle with [brain cancer], we faced numerous challenges, and the team was always there for us whether it was a late-night call or an urgent visit. The back-to-back medical crises were incredibly tough, but knowing that we had such a dedicated team gave us immense comfort. I take solace in knowing that we were able to provide him with the best possible care until the very end thanks to your unwavering support." – Dorcas Joanna, Caleb's wife
That is impactful care and since 2010 that care has grown to include hospice for both adults and children, and home-visit care. From one van team with three staff in 2010, the home-visit program now has 12 teams including three providing care for children.
And all this through the generous support of TWCC's donors and sustained funding from individuals and partner organizations in India.
Global demand for a global handbook
At the end of September we announced the release of an updated version of The Global Handbook of Palliative Care – a guide for frontline healthcare providers. This 245-page handbook is a joint venture between TWCC and global health dynamics. Edited by Drs. Megan Doherty and Lana Ferguson this handbook has been a team effort with many volunteers and hours behind it.
The handbook is available as a digital download for free or by donation. During the first week it was available, 200 copies were downloaded to healthcare providers in 22 countries.
A print version will soon be available for sale. To view chapters visit global health dynamics or to download the handbook visit twoworldscancer.ca.
There are plans to make translations available in French, Arabic, and Spanish.
And in early 2025, The Global Handbook of Pediatric Palliative Care will be available.
A global pharmacist's network
Earlier this year, a small and passionate group of pharmacists led by TWCC Director Dr. Fatima Ladha, a clinical pharmacist with Fraser Health in British Columbia, launched an online education and mentorship project. Today it's evolved into a network of 26 pharmacists from Canada, India, Bangladesh, Kuwait, Egypt and Ghana.
The focus is on palliative care, cancer care, and pain management. The network meets monthly for peer learning, discussions about advocacy and promoting pharmacy initiatives, coordinating research and publications, and sharing tools and resources.
Governments around the world have recognized the need for clinical pharmacists and the support for universities and healthcare systems to establish advanced clinical training in their countries.
Photo: Courtesy Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society
Join us in November at London Global Cancer Week 2024
Co-hosted with the Hyderabad Centre for Palliative Care, we are presenting 'Achieving population-based palliative care: Learnings from Telangana, India' on November 13.
Join the webinar to learn how the state of Telangana, in India, moved from an absence of palliative care in the early 2000s to an internationally recognized palliative care program serving 38 million people in 33 administrative districts across the state.
Dr. Gillian Fyles (TWCC Director) will host panelists Dr. Gayatri Palat (Director, Hyderabad Centre for Palliative Care; Professor of Palliative Medicine, MNJ Institute; and former Don Rix Professor of Palliative Medicine), Swarup Immaraju (Nursing Superintendent, Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society), and Vineela Rapelli, (Administrative Manager, Pain Relief and Palliative Care Society)
To register for the event LGCW2024
Nepal program highlights
Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital (BCH) continues to grow as a hub for palliative care in Nepal. The Nepali Ministry of Health has designated BCH as the training centre for expansion of palliative care into rural Nepal starting with Koshi and Madhesh provinces (formerly known as Province 1 and Province 2).
Providing opportunities for healthcare professionals to advance their training is at the core of our approach to helping build care capacity, ultimately leading to improved patient care and better access to care. Through the generous support of our donors to the Nepal program, BCH's nursing leader and two doctors – one from BCH and another from Nepal Cancer Hospital – will travel to Hyderabad, India for advanced training.
In November, seven TWCC volunteers will travel to Nepal to participate in strategic planning led by our Nepali partners and provide support for palliative care education and mentorship in the Kathmandu Valley and in Koshi province.
Our ECHOs grow louder
Our online education and mentorship continues to grow in size and in reach. From pediatric fellowship education to pharmacy networks, regionally-based ECHOs continue to reach milestones. A joint venture in Bangladesh supported by the Fasiuddin Khan Research Foundation, PallCHASE (Palliative Care in Humanitarian Aid Situations and Emergencies ), and TWCC is launching the 10th Certificate Course of Palliative Care for Humanitarian Healthcare Providers.
Meet our Team
Read our Q&A with Rachel Neufeld who has volunteered with TWCC since 2014. She is a nurse practitioner at Canuck Place Children’s Hospital in Vancouver, Canada.
"My perspective has always been since I got into palliative care that there are specialists and people bringing life into the world and we need specialists helping life leave the world," Rachel says.
TWCC and Partners in the Media
Our partnership through the Sunflower Children's Network with Canuck Place Children's Hospice supporting the Children's Palliative Care Leadership Program was featured in the media recently: Spice Radio Drishti Magazine Abbotsford News and on Fairchild TV News (Cantonese programming).
Your generous support has had a huge impact helping care for hundreds of thousands of people. Compassionate care that provides dignity and pain relief – for patients like Caleb and his family.
Please keep an eye on your email and on our social media for our Be 1 in a 1000 campaign coming soon. We look forward to your continuing support!
With thanks from all of us at the TWCC Team,
Dr. Simon Sutcliffe
President, Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration
P.S. Please join us on social media
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