COAST HOSPICE has new premises, the disused morgue, in the grounds of the General Hospital. Now "cleansed of spirits", redecorated and with some partitions in place, it comprises an admission office, a staff room, a general patient area, two consulting rooms, a store and a small corner where tea can be prepared for patients. It is bright and clean though at the moment it lacks furniture and a boundary fence. (Feb06 Now remedied via HCK with funds kindly donated by you our donors Ed.)
Liz with staff and friends at Coast Hospice
Coast Hospice will need our help for some time; fans are a necessity in the high humidity of Mombasa, a vehicle is needed to carry out home visits and medicines are an ongoing requirement for any hospice. None of these problems stops Coast Hospice staff from working hard to raise the awareness of palliative care, or from training people from the seven districts of Coast Province. A course, run in July, with the help of Nairobi Hospice, attracted 27 participants from many different areas, the aim being ultimately to start up satellite hospices in each district. The first will be in Malindi, where there are already 5 personnel trained. Faustin Magendi, who first established the Coast Hospice explains "This is why the hospice is names Coast and not Mombasa, because we aim to extend the high quality palliative care services from the present hospice throughout the whole province" |
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KISUMU HOSPICE is dedicated to spreading the knowledge and practice of palliative care as widely as possible, so that the maximum number of patients can obtain the care they need. Dr Julius Onyango, who heads the hospice, and a neighbouring GP, Dr Sokwala, with two registered nurses, Rhoda Badia and Dorine Ochieng who have both completed the Oxford Brookes Diploma in Palliative Care, have established week-long courses for community workers, and for health care professionals, and have recently added a multi-faith course for those who offer spiritual counsel to the terminally ill. These courses cover the basics; recognition and awareness, aims of palliative care, home nursing and symptom care and treatment, nutrition, pain control and death and bereavement.
The courses are free to those who attend, though students have to pay their accommodation and travel charges. The cost for the hospice is about £ 8 0 per student, for the 5-day course, and covers materials, notes etc. Last year an amazing 98 people attended one of the courses , and there is already a long waiting list for the first one of 2006!
Now a plan is being developed to take the course out to more distant districts, rather than expect students to travel long distances into Kisumu. This will of course, extend the coverage even further. One such district is Siaya about one and a half hours drive out of Kisumu. Celine Ndolo, who will start studying for the Diploma in February 2006, runs the palliative care clinic there. The picture below shows her with a young mother and her very small baby. Both are HIV positive.
Some antiretrovirals are available from the hospital, but the main source of drugs is the hospice at Kisumu. The Kisumu Hospice also provides support and help for Celine. Patients include terminal cancer as well as HIV/AIDS, and all are offered help. But a real need is to teach awareness to the population, and so a training course for community workers in this area is vital. These workers move among the communities and have their trust and are thus best placed to get the message across.
 
Amongst his many other responsibilities, Dr Onyango treats children with Burkitt's lymphoma at the cancer ward at the local hospital. Burkitt's lymphoma is a malignant tumour of the lymphatic system that affects children in tropical Africa |
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MERU HOSPICE For the first time since the hospice opened, hospice staff are able to visit patients at home, having now a sturdy 4WD vehicle which can cope with the incredibly poor roads around the town.
One such patient is Nashan who lives up in the hills to the North of Meru, a picturesque spot, but with no public (or private) transport, no accessibility to the town unless one is a good walker, no water or electricity - and very isolated! Even after the 45 minute car journey, over roads which defy description, the final 300m had to be negotiated on foot. Nashan has prostate cancer, with probable secondary brain disease. He started medication supplied by the hospice, but then stopped because of loss of memory which he thought was due to the drugs. He became very depressed, but after counselling and reassurance from hospice staff, he re-started the drugs, and is now much more positive. His tumour has shrunk somewhat, though he has difficulty in walking, and can only just move outside his house. The amazing thing is the patience and care that the hospice staff, in this case Stella, take with every patient. There is no sense of haste, everyone sits down, all the available family members are involved in the discussion, and in understanding the disease and its progress. The purpose of each drug is explained, and how and when to administer it. No question is unanswered, and if the answer is hard, then time is given for thought and for additional questions. Support offered is 100%!
Many patients cannot pay for their drugs. When a man stops work, his income stops too. But this makes no difference to the care offered. When the drugs run out, either a member of the family will make the journey to Meru Hospice, or Stella will visit again.
Nashan outside his home |
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 Profile of Rosemary Adah Okwengu
Rosemary had everything going for her, young, full of life and just a year away from high school. She had a loving family who cared for her. The future seemed bright and she would eventually realize her dream of becoming a nurse. This was not to be for at 19 years she was diagnosed with cancer of the cheek. It all started in August 2004, with what seemed like a boil in the mouth. She ignored thinking it would just clear and go away, but the swelling continued to grow until it protruded out of her mouth and disfigured her face. When it finally burst her family got alarmed and sought medical treatment. Rosemary was having a rough time at school. Her schoolmates teased her because of her disfigured face and the smell from her wound. They kept away and she became very lonely. This depressed her so much that she decided to drop out of school. Her neighbours were no better; they gaped and gossiped about her deformity. The family sought help from various dispensaries in the slum where they lived. Finally referred to the Kenyatta National Hospital dental unit, Rosemary was diagnosed with cancer. Her condition grew worse and she was in excruciating pain. The wound was getting bigger and in December 2004, she was referred to the Nairobi Hospice. Rosemary says: “It was a blessing to come to the Hospice since drugs that take away my pain are available and people really care about me. Before I came to the hospice I was in a lot of pain. I was not even able to eat. The pain and smell are now gone. My friends and neighbours are not afraid of me any more so I do not have to cover my face. The Nairobi Hospice staff and volunteers are fantastic and so friendly to me. They serve me food, bring me books to read and movies to watch on Thursday during day care. Many wonderful people bring us food to carry back home and my family is assured of where the next meal will come from.” Most important is that she has made friends at the day care with whom she shares her experiences. She has realized that she is not alone and that there are many others, both young and old in the same situation and condition. Rosemary tells us that her prayer is that God will continue to provide for the Nairobi Hospice so that many other patients and families will benefit the way she has.
Edited extract from Nairobi Hospice Newsletter
The first 'World Hospice and Palliative Care Day' took place across the world on 8th October 2005, in conjunction with Voices for Hospices. The aim of the day was to raise public awareness and funding for hospice and palliative care services around the world. Four such fundraising events were held in Malvern and Tiverton in the UK and Eldoret and Nairobi in Kenya.
Malvern: Following several fundraising concerts directed by Iain Sloan in aid of HCK it has been decided that the choir should have a more established basis and would become the HCK Singers, dedicated to raising funds for the charity. The singers come from a l l o v e r t h e Midlands and west of England and would be delighted to perform in a suitable venue in your area (e.g. local church). If you think that you would be able to offer this then please contact Gwyn Sloan on 01684 561074.
Andrew Wilson, Organist taking a bow at the concert. Iain Sloan, conductor, at left of organist
Tiverton Many thanks once again to Anne and Gordon Davies who held their 9th Annual Kenyan Coffee Morning to coincide with World Hospice & Palliative Care Day: another popular success which made a record contribution to HCK funds.
Eldoret The marathon in Eldoret: run (or walked!) around the town, in October 2005. Mr Ranauta chair of the Hospice Board is seen leading the participants on the right of the picture. The marathon not only raised money for the hospice, it also raised awareness - as traffic and unwary pedestrians were brought to a halt.
Nairobi A musical concert was held at the Bomas of Kenya auditorium on the 8th October to raise funds for Nairobi Hospice. |
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