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MILESTONES
IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF PALLIATIVE CARE IN SABAH
1991
Realized the need to develop a Palliative Care Service. 50 to 70% of
cancers recurred after surgery and other forms of treatment. These
patients with incurable cancers needed pain and symptom control, good care
and support - none was available.
They went home to
suffer along with the family and die, often alone with no dignity.
Looked at various means of establishing a Palliative care
service.
1992 April Visit to Australia by a team from
Kita Kinabalu sponsored by Surgeons International Melbourne and Prof R.C.Bennett(Chairman of
the Royal Australian College of Surgeons Foundation, and Editor in Chief
of the Australia New Zealand Journal of Surgery) a good friend who took
great interest in the development of surgery in Sabah to prepare for an anticancer campaign to
downstage cancers in Sabah and at the same time to visit Hospices and
Palliative Care Units in all the major centres in Australia with the hope
of initiating a Palliative Care Service in
Sabah.
1992 July to September, Organized
Anti Cancer Campaign and
promotion of the concept of
Palliative Care under
the banner of Sabah Cancer
Society through a road show, anti cancer exhibition and Public forums to Tawau, Sandakan and
Keningau.
1992
Formation of a Working Committee by Sabah Cancer Society under Tan Sri
Thomas Jayasuriya to study and set up a Hospice Home
Program.
1993 March
Start of the Home Care Program under Sabah Cancer Society
supported and backed by the Surgery Department at Queen Elizabeth
Hospital. First Nurse
Coordinator appointed - Ms
Jercy Ng.
1995 January set up a Palliative Care Unit at Queen
Elizabeth Hospital – first one in Malaysia with 4 beds. This was set up as a result of a
paper highlighting the need
for Palliative Care presented
to the then Director of
Medical Services Datuk Mechiel K Chan with full support from Dr
G.Sannasey the Director of Queen Elizabeth
Hospital.
1996
January it became obvious that a Palliative Care Unit was a necessity to
not only provide specialized care to these patients, it was also necessary
to support the home care program. Hence the Bed Strength of the unit was
increased to 10 beds with, independent staffing and management under the
Department of Surgery.
Ministry of Health then accepted the Palliative Care Unit as a
model unit for the country. Personnel from all over the country were sent
to Queen Elizabeth Hospital to have a basic introduction to Palliative
Care and to see the functioning of a Palliative Care Unit and the seamless
care provided by both the unit and the home care program at Kota
Kinabalu..
1996 7th December Hospice Sandakan
launched by JCI and registered as NGO in
January1998.
1997 May, Formation of Tawau
Hospice Association, registered as NGO in
December1998
(The road show and public
forum in1993 was instrumental in initiating these programs both in
Sandakan and Tawau)
1998 June, Registration of the Palliative Care Association
of Kota Kinabalu a Non Governmental Organization for the care of patients with
advanced incurable cancers. Ms Jercy Ng elected as first
President.
1999 July
Two days Volunteers conference for Hospice Volunteers from the region
entitled “Walk a while with me”.
1999 5th
June First Palliative Care Fund Raising Dinner “The Boney M Borneo Blast”,
Boney M featuring Maizie William.
1999 22nd June Dato’ Edward Ong of Sutera Harbour Resorts accepts to
be the Patron of the Palliative Care Association of Kota
Kinabalu.
2000 January Palliative Care Unit Bed strength increased to
12.
2000 March Isuzu Space Cab
Ambulance loaned to PCA by Kinabalu Motor
Assembly.
2000
14th and 15th July Two day Regional Palliative
Care Conference “Hope for a Better Tomorrow”
2001
19th and 20th July Palliative Care -
Doctors and Nurses Workshop from all over the
state
2000 14th November 2nd Palliative
Care Charity Dinner and Concert “I wanna hold your hand” The Beatles
Unlimited.
2001 23rd
to 26th October First Massage and
Aromatherapy Workshop by Ms Wendy Leach (UK).
2001 Moved into own premises “Rumah PCA” PWD No 7396 & 7397 with
administrative office, office for nurse coordinators, Conference rooms,
Day Care Centre, Large store for equipments, kitchen
etc
2001 13th November
3rd Palliative
Care Charity Dinner and Concert “I have a Dream “Anita
Sarawak
2002
3rd and 4th May Regional Palliative Care
Conference “Palliative Care Making the
Difference”.
Asia Pacific Hospice Network
Council Meeting in Kota Kinabalu
2003 Attained tax exemption
status
2003 23rd
September 4th Annual Charity Dinner and Concert “Sweet Melody of Night”
Steven Kimbrough accompanied by Dalton
Baldwin.
2003 12th and 13th December Workshop for doctors and Nurses from District
Hospitals – jointly organized by the Palliative Care Association and the
Asia Pacific Hospice Network
2004 Sr Morna Chua takes over as
President
2004 30th April Public Forum, Dr Ednin
Hamzah “The Role of Palliative Care in Modern
Society”.
2004 24th
and 25th September Palliative Care Workshop “To Improve the Quality of Palliative Care in
Sabah”.
2004 14th
to 16th October - refresher course
for massage and aromatherapy by Ms Wendy Leach (UK) for
volunteers
2004
30th November “Intensive Grief and Bereavement
Workshop” by Dr Amy Chow from Hong Kong.
2005 18th March
5th Annual Charity Dinner and
Concert “This Magic
Moment” The
Drifters.
2005
27th June Signing of MOU with
University Malaysia Sabah
2005 December Lymphoedema Workshop for
volunteers by Ms
Ang Nancy,Singapore.
2006 June 15th to 17th Organized a very successful
7th Malaysia Congress an International conference for the Malaysian Hospice
Council with eminent speakers from all over the
world. 7 pre congress and 2post congress
workshops.
2006
December 18th and 19th “Palliative Care Workshop on
Pain Management and Communication skills” organized in collaboration with
Queen Elizabeth Hospital..
2006 29th
March 6th Annual Charity
Dinner and Concert “Love is the Message” with the Three
Degrees.
2007 January Appointment of a
Nurse Manager to consolidate and expand the service. Nurse Manager
assisted by 3 nurses, administrative assistant besides
volunteers.
2007 PCU Refurbished and
remodeled as a modern Palliative are Unit.
Workshop
2007 3rd November
7th Annual Charity Dinner and Concert “You can’t hurry love” The
Supremes.
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