Soaring Strong: The Transformative Power of Palliative Care Social Work – Ms Manisha Mary Marshal, Bengaluru Growing up, I was a child who lacked a clear aim and ambition in life. People around me had very high expectations of me. They presumed that I would become a medical doctor. Confused and uncertain, I couldn’t decide…
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Reflections on innovation and creativity in palliative care – Dr Fiona Rawlinson, Cardiff, UK From the earliest legacy left by our inspirational pioneers, palliative care comprises so much more than a single discipline. We deal with one of the most significant of human frailties – that moment when the heart takes its last beat and…
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Intersection of Palliative Care in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A New Frontier? – Dr Jyothsna Kuriakose, Vellore Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is a neurobiologic disorder with an early childhood onset which significantly impacts the functioning of individuals throughout their lives. The diagnostic criteria for ASD specified by DSM-5 captures symptoms pertaining to two major domains: persistent…
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World Art Day: Role of Art, Artist and Art Therapy in Palliative Care –Ms. Pragati Adhikari, Bengaluru “If an art installation gets a patient out of his room or paintings take a person’s mind off their pain and lower their stress levels, the art isn’t just decorative anymore. It’s part of the entire model of…
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Role of Pediatric Palliative Care and Down’s Syndrome – Dr. Mohammad Ishak and Dr Spandana Rayala, Hyderabad Down’s syndrome or Trisomy 21 is a genetic disorder caused due to the presence of an extra copy of chromosome 21. It occurs in approximately 1 in 830 live births, manifested at birth through characteristic physical features. In…
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Reflections from a palliative care volunteer counsellor – Ms. Madhu Juneja, New Delhi Context: This article is based on my personal experiences while working with patients and their families in a hospital setting, as both, a mental health volunteer counsellor and a palliative care volunteer. I feel that this role provides me with a unique…
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Equitable Palliative Care – Dr. Joris Gielen, Pittsburgh, USA March 21 has been marked by the United Nations as the “International Day for the Elimination of Racial Discrimination.” When people commonly reflect upon racial discrimination, they often think in the first place about instances in which people openly deny other people goods, services, or job…
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Social Justice and Palliative Care – Ms. Anu Savio Thelly, Pondicherry The theme for ‘World Day of Social Justice’ 2023 is “Overcoming Barriers and Unleashing Opportunities for Social Justice”. Social justice is the view that everyone deserves equal economic, political and social rights and opportunities. It refers to ensuring justice regarding the equal distribution of…
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Women of Substance in Palliative Medicine – Dr. Vidya Viswanath, Vishakapatnam International days and weeks are occasions to educate the public on issues of concern, mobilize resources and political will to address global problems, and celebrate and reinforce the achievements of humanity. ‘International Day of Women and Girls in Science’ began as a resolution by the…
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Human Fraternity – “Fellow Travelers, Sharing the Same Flesh” – Dr. Odette Spruijt, Launceston, Tasmania, Australia February 4th was the International Day of Human Fraternity. This day was first established by the United Nations General Assembly on December 21st, 2020, (resolution 75/200) as a way to promote greater cultural and religious tolerance. It was inspired…
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