Palliative care programs working

Editor:

The October 28 Guardian featured an article titled “Comprehensive palliative care reduces the need for assisted suicide.” This article said what many of us who have worked in or are working in palliative care always knew. Both Dr. Chochinov and Dr. Belfore Mount are national and international leaders, educators and advocates for a comprehensive palliative care program for all Canadians.

We on P.E.I. are the lucky ones. We are part of that 29 per cent of Canadians who have this comprehensive program. Although not perfect yet it is constantly improving. This will be even more so when the new standalone facility opens in the near future. We have Integrated Palliative Care teams across the Island led by health care professionals who are well trained in palliative care led by a physician consultant Dr. Mireille Lecours and her team who are second to none anywhere as well as the hospice volunteers.

I want to extend appreciation to Minister Currie, Premier Ghiz and the Liberal Caucus for recognizing the need for this program for Islanders and making it happen.

I also want to acknowledge the forward thinking of all planners who recognized the need of the medical model and the complimentary therapy model working together for the betterment of the person living with a terminal illness and their families. Mary Hughes RN BN, Charlottetown