Palliative Care

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Most Americans and even many doctors have it wrong.  Palliative care is not just about end of life care.   

Palliative care services support patients from the point of diagnosis, throughout treatment and beyond. 

Palliative care is coordinated patient care that treats the patient as well as the disease.  It provides cancer patients and their caregivers an extra layer of support, making available a team of experts focused on relieving pain, managing emotional stress and other supportive services. 

This care improves the quality of life of cancer patients and cancer survivors, saving lives and reducing health care costs. 

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Congress: Pass PCHETA And Help Improve The Quality Of Life For Cancer Patients

Ask your Members of Congress to support PCHETA to improve the quality of life for patients of all ages living with cancer, as well as their families and caregivers.

"Life keeps going."

Ella knows cancer all too well. Diagnosed with leukemia at just age 11, she spent her entire teenage years in cancer treatment. Years later, she tragically lost her mom to cancer.

On June 21, Ella was one of 51 advocates from across 26 states to attend the 8 th...

Latest Updates

February 23, 2024
South Dakota

PIERRE, South Dakota – February 23, 2024 -- The South Dakota Legislature today approved legislation that will help facilitate improved access to palliative care. Once signed by Gov. Kristi Noem, this bill will allow the state’s healthcare providers to better serve those who are in need of this crucial service.

December 20, 2022
National

WASHINGTON, D.C.— Early this morning Congress released a proposed FY 2023 funding deal that includes an increase of $2.5 billion for biomedical research funding at the National Institutes of Health (NIH), $408 million more for cancer research at the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and provides a funding boost to cancer

November 16, 2022
National

Cancer advocates are urging Congress to prioritize cancer prevention, detection, research and palliative care in any forthcoming year-end legislative package as a way to accelerate progress against the disease and end cancer as we know it.

May 19, 2022
National

Washington, D.C. – Today U.S. Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Shelley Moore Capito (R-W.Va.) reintroduced the Palliative Care and Hospice Education and Training Act (PCHETA), which charges the federal government with expanding both the availability and scope of palliative care services across the country. The bipartisan bill would increase federal

Palliative Care Resources

This table lists key studies and review articles that examine the effect that the addition of palliative care has on overall patient costs. While results vary, the addition of palliative care typically either reduces overall costs or is cost neutral.

In August-September 2019, the American Cancer Society Cancer Action Network (ACS CAN) — through its Survivor Views Project  — conducted a survey of cancer patients and survivors to determine whether they were asking for and getting appropriate palliative care treatment. 

Palliative care is specialized medical care for people with serious illness. This type of care is focused on providing patients with relief from the symptoms, pain and stress of a serious illness - from point of diagnosis onward. The goal is to improve quality of life for both the patient and the family. This report shares the stories of patients who have benefited from palliative care and providers who deliver this important care.