Hospice Africa Uganda - Palliative Care

Please help me to make a difference. I'm raising money in aid of Hospice Africa Uganda. I travel to Uganda on the 15th March to work for 6 months as a volunteer with the charity. Thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause which means so much to me. All funds raised will go directly to the charity to be used on front-line palliative care services for those who otherwise would not avail of pain relief in their time of need. I am very grateful to my employer in Ireland, Dairygold Co-Operative Society Limited, who has granted me a leave of absence to allow me fulfil this ambition and my work colleagues who have given me tremendous support.

My story

"I first travelled to Uganda in 2005 to work with GOAL, a humanitarian organization focused on improving the lives of vulnerable communities. During my time there, I had the privilege of getting to know some local families, including the family of one of my former colleagues. One of their daughters, Catherine (the little lady in the photo), was a bright and energetic young lady who I had the pleasure to meet on my subsequent trips in the following years.

But then came some very sad news. Catherine had developed an inoperable tumor, and after exhausting all medical avenues, palliative care became her last and final option. That's when I met Dr. Anne Merriman for the first time. Dr. Anne Merriman is the founder of Hospice Africa, an organization that provides compassionate care to patients with life-limiting illnesses in Uganda and other African countries. I was amazed by the work she and her team were undertaking, and inspired by their commitment to providing dignity and comfort to those in their care. Catherine (R.I.P) died in November 2017 aged 13. Too young and heartbreaking, but Hospice Africa relieved her pain and gave her the dignity and respect she deserved in her final months.

Unfortunately, access to palliative care is limited and virtually non-existent in the majority of African Countries due to various factors including poverty, lack of trained healthcare providers, and inadequate healthcare infrastructure - this is why Hospice Africa plays such an important role with initiatives aimed at providing palliative care to the poorest of the poor in Uganda.

I have kept in touch with Dr. Merriman since then and had promised to help her in some way someday. And here we are today. My ambition is to first of all, raise some much-needed funds for Hospice Africa, and then to spend six months in Uganda (I will be in Kampala from March to September 2023) as a volunteer supporting the organization's strategic development, in essence supporting initiatives to ensure that the organisation is prepared for the future ahead.

Your donation will help Hospice Africa to continue its life-saving work, providing care and support to patients like Catherine, and their families. Your contribution will make a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most. Thank you for your support."