Capturing Palliative Care This World Hospice and Palliative Care Day

Photo Credit: Kampus Production via Pexels

Photographs captured in the Association of Palliative Care Centres’ latest campaign speak volumes of hope, compassion, and human dignity – where each image is a testament to the comfort that palliative care brings.

South Africa (07 October 2025) – It’s said that a picture is worth a thousand words, and it is upon this very adage that the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC) of South Africa has launched a powerful photographic campaign to capture the dignity, comfort and support that patients facing life-threatening illness receive and deserve through the provision of palliative healthcare services.

With the hope of showcasing the impact of palliative care through real-life stories and images, the ‘Through the Palliative Care Lens’ campaign aligns with the theme for World Hospice and Palliative Care Day 2025 (WHPCD2025): ‘Universal Access to Palliative Care’.

“Rather than simply providing comfort to terminally-ill patients, a common misconception in South Africa, palliative care is a comprehensive service that integrates clinical expertise, emotional intelligence, cultural sensitivity and ethical considerations – even in cases where a patient is not in the final stages of life,” says Hanneke Lubbe, CEO-Hospice Bloemfontein and APCC Chairperson – Free State.

“The APCC’s ‘Through the Palliative Care Lens’ campaign aims to visually showcase the reality of the practice in action, with both the patient and their loved ones being supported from the point of diagnosis.”

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Capturing the Difference Palliative Care Makes

The non-profit member organisations of the Association, currently totalling 70, have submitted photographs captured in homes, clinics, and communities that illustrate the lived experiences of patients.

These visual galleries and accompanying captions providing the necessary context are free to view by the public, medical professionals and media on a dedicated WHPCD2025 website page. They will also appear broadly across members’ social media channels.

“We want to visually share real on-the-ground scenarios,” says Lubbe.

“It is essential that people understand the tangible difference palliative care makes to the lives of patients and their families so that they reach out to members early and are supported as soon as they have received their diagnosis.”

The APCC is a proactive advocate for equitable access to comprehensive, high-quality palliative care across all communities. While financial support from the national Department of Health varies across provinces, many member organisations, often referred to as hospices, rely on fundraising to sustain their operations and deliver essential palliative services.

This is why APCC’s position on the topic of medically assisted dying states that it should be outside the realm of palliative care.

“While the Association recognises the importance of ongoing, respectful engagement with the topic of medically assisted dying,” says Lubbe.

“We believe that there needs to be a focus on making sure that palliative care is available to everyone and that medically assisted dying is considered outside of the broader framework of palliative care. Before we debate how people die, we must ensure they have access to the care that helps them live with dignity.”

Earlier this year, the fifth edition of the Standards for Palliative Healthcare Services secured accreditation from the International Society for Quality in Health Care’s External Evaluation Association (ISQua IEEA).

The Standards are developed through a long-standing partnership between the APCC and the Council for Health Service Accreditation of Southern Africa (COHSASA), and the international endorsement reaffirms the commitment of the APCC to deliver world-class palliative care via its members.

APCC’s CEO, Motlalentoa Motsoane, encourages every South African to take time to view the WHPCD2025 website.