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World Hospice and Palliative Care Day on Oct. 9 is a special day dedicated to honoring people who provide compassionate care for those facing life-limiting illnesses, as well as their families. This annual event was first celebrated in the year 2000 by The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA). It's an opportunity to recognize and appreciate the valuable work that hospice and palliative care professionals do around the world.
<div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1967</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First Modern Hospice</div><div class='timeline-text'>The first modern hospice, St Christopher's Hospice, is opened in London by Dame Cicely Saunders, establishing the principles of palliative care.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1982</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Medicare Hospice Benefit</div><div class='timeline-text'>In the U.S., the Medicare Hospice Benefit was enacted, marking the first large-scale governmental support for hospice care.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1987</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>World Health Assembly Resolution</div><div class='timeline-text'>World Health Assembly adopted a resolution emphasising the importance of palliative care, urging its inclusion in health policies and curricula.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>1991</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First Palliative Care Acceptance</div><div class='timeline-text'>World Health Organization defines palliative care and acknowledges it as a part of essential health services.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2000</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>First World Hospice Day</div><div class='timeline-text'>The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA) hosts the first World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, promoting and supporting hospice and palliative care worldwide.</div></div></div><div class='timeline-item'><div class='timeline-left'><div class='timeline-date-text'>2014</div></div><div class='timeline-center'></div><div class='timeline-right'><div class='timeline-text timeline-text-title'>Global Atlas of Palliative Care</div><div class='timeline-text'>The World Health Organization and WHPCA published the first Global Atlas of Palliative Care at the End of Life, providing comprehensive information and data on the need for and availability of palliative care worldwide.</div></div></div>
<div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>1</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Organize a Fundraiser</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>A great way to show your support for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is to organize a fundraiser. Choose an activity that you can do with friends or family, like a bake sale, car wash, or 5K run/walk.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>2</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Volunteer</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Reach out to your local hospice and palliative care organizations to see what volunteer opportunities they have available. You may be able to help out with administrative tasks, patient visits, or event planning.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>3</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Share Your Story</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Share your story about how hospice and palliative care has made a difference in your life or the life of someone you love on social media. This will help raise awareness about the importance of these services.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>4</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Donate</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Make a monetary donation to a hospice or palliative care organization of your choice on World Hospice and Palliative Care Day. Every little bit helps when it comes to providing these crucial services.</p></div></div><div id='' class='facts-item'><div id='' class='facts-header'><h3 id='' class='facts-number'>5</h3></div><div id='' class='facts-text-wrapper'><h3 id='' class='facts-title'>Educate Yourself</h3><p id='' class='facts-text'>Take the time to learn more about hospice and palliative care by reading articles, watching webinars, and attending seminars. The more you know about these topics, the better equipped you’ll be to make informed decisions.</p></div></div>
<div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>A</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It raises awareness of hospice & palliative care</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is a global initiative to raise awareness of the importance of hospice and palliative care services and their impact on the quality of life and overall wellbeing of people who are suffering from serious and life-limiting illnesses. By raising awareness, the hope is that governments, healthcare providers, and individuals can come together in an effort to provide these services and make them more widely available.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>B</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It honors those affected by serious illness</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is also dedicated to honoring those affected by serious illnesses, both patients and caregivers alike. It's a day to show appreciation for the incredible work done by caregivers in providing comfort, support, and dignity to their patients during difficult times.</p></div></div><div id='' class='whywelove-item'><div id='' class='whywelove-letter-cont'><div class='whywelove-letter'>C</div></div><div id='why-we-love-main-cont'><h3 id='' class='whywelove-title'>It brings attention to important issues</h3><p id='' class='whywelove-text'>World Hospice and Palliative Care Day also provides an opportunity for policymakers to bring attention to key topics such as access to affordable care, pain management, symptom control, end of life planning, and bereavement support. It's essential that these conversations are had in order to bring public attention to these vital issues so that effective solutions can be implemented globally.</p></div></div>
<div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>1</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Hospice care is much more than end-of-life care</h3><p class='facts-content'>Hospice care isn't just about providing comfort in the final days of life. It is a compassionate approach that includes managing physical symptoms, psychological counselling, and emotional and spiritual support for patients and their families, from the initial stages of illness.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>2</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Hospice care is multidisciplinary</h3><p class='facts-content'>A hospice care team typically includes doctors, nurses, social workers, therapists, counsellors, trained volunteers, and clergy. This diverse team works collaboratively to address all of a patient's needs - physical, emotional, spiritual, and social.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>3</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Palliative care can be provided at any stage of illness</h3><p class='facts-content'>Contrary to some misconceptions, palliative care is not exclusively for the end stages of an illness. It can be provided as a supportive treatment at any stage from diagnosis onwards and it doesn't mean giving up on curative treatments.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>4</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>40% of the world's countries do not have access to palliative care</h3><p class='facts-content'>Even with the immense benefits of hospice and palliative care, many people around the world lack access. Globally, only 61% of countries have hospice-palliative care services available, highlighting the need for increased awareness and resources.</p></div></div><div class='facts-item'><div class='facts-number-wrapper'><p class='facts-number'>5</p></div><div class='facts-core-content'><h3 class='facts-title'>Only a small portion of medical schools offer training in palliative care</h3><p class='facts-content'>Despite the significant role palliative care plays in healthcare, only a relatively small number of medical schools worldwide offer any formal education in palliative care. The lack of education often means healthcare professionals are unprepared to manage end-of-life situations when they arise.</p></div></div>
World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is celebrated on October 9 every year. In 2024, World Hospice and Palliative Care Day will occur on a Wednesday.
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Oct 9
Monday
2024
Oct 9
Wednesday
2025
Oct 9
Thursday
2026
Oct 9
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2027
Oct 9
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