NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2021 - 28

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partners have touched the lives
of millions of individuals and
families affected by AIDS,
cancer and other serious
illnesses. Since 2004, GPIC and
US partners have sent more
than $6.5 million (USD) to
support the vital palliative care
work of our partners on the
ground.
Driving all of our efforts is an
unswerving commitment to
extending compassion and
reducing suffering among those
in need. As FHSSA our tagline
was " compassion has no
borders, " and through our work
with hundreds of hospice and
palliative care providers and
supporters worldwide, we have
found how true this statement
is.
Nowhere was this more evident
than during the previous year.
While there are many aspects of
2020 that we would all prefer not
to dwell on, there certainly were
successes to celebrate, challenges
met and a plethora of lessons
learned. Of course, the most
significant challenge arose early
in the year. The global COVID-19
pandemic upended our plans as
we pivoted to find new ways to
support our partners and their
work. With the help of donors, US
partners and supporters, Global
Partners in Care was able to
support our African partners'
urgent need for PPE. Our more
than $50,000 in funding was also
used to help provide nutritional
support for patients and their
Before a national lockdown in Uganda, the Rays of Hope Hospice Jinja (RHHJ) team mobilized to ensure patient care
continuity with small stockpiles of medicines, food and other basic needs. A grant from GPIC helped RHHJ protect staff,
volunteers and patients with personal protective equipment (PPE).
families and to purchase cellular
data/airtime to allow staff to
work remotely. Thanks to a gift
from a generous donor, we were
able to offer $10,000 in matching
funds. We used this grant to
match individual donations up to
$500 which helped ensure
funding support to the greatest
number of partners.
Our partners responded to the
challenges of the pandemic with
innovation and dedication. In
Uganda for example, Rays of
Hope Hospice Jinja (RHHJ)
clinical officers, nurses, drivers
and social workers went out
before a country-wide lockdown
to cover each of the 21 patient
routes, leaving before dawn.
Teams provided medicines and
nutritional support packages to
ensure that patients would have
at least one nutritious meal a
day. In Zimbabwe, Seke Rural
Home Based Care used funds
from their partner, Arkansas
Hospice (which were matched by
GPIC), to provide food and
supplies like taped water buckets
for hand washing with running
water, face masks, latex gloves,
thermometers and sanitizers to
the families, along with their food
hampers. One of the patients
assisted was Diana, an 89-yearold
widow living with dementia,
among other illnesses. Diana's
daughter, and breadwinner of
their family, Sophia, was unable
to make a living due to COVID-19
lockdowns across the region.
The pandemic also highlighted
the vital role advocacy plays in
making sure palliative care
services are available for those
28
Newsline / Summer 2021

NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2021

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of NHPCO NewsLine Summer 2021