Why We Need a Palliative Care Council in Delaware

Palliative care is specialized medical care that works to treat the whole person, not just their disease, by giving patients more control and helping to take away some of the pain, fear and anxiety that many patients feel after diagnosis, during treatment and into survivorship. Palliative Care focuses on treating the disease while also ensuring the best possible quality of life for the patient. It's provided by a team of health care professionals, including doctors and nurses, all working together to control the patient's pain, fatigue, anxiety, loss of appetite and other symptoms. This extra layer of support is appropriate for patients at any age and at any stage of a serious disease such as cancer and can be provided alongside curative treatment.

 Lack of understanding about palliative care, both what it is and when it should be provided, remains one of the chief barriers to it. Creating a Palliative Care Council in Delaware will improve awareness of, access to, and delivery of palliative care. The Council would have two key components: 1) establishes an advisory council to bring together experts – including health care providers and patients – to address barriers to palliative care and identify innovative solutions 2) creates a consumer and professional information program to help families and health care providers understand the benefits and opportunities available through palliative care. To learn more about our efforts to pass legislation creating a Palliative Care Council contact Jeanne Chiquoine at [email protected].