My Nonprofit Reviews

In 2017 two doctors Rita Kabasinskiene and Marija Inesa Poniskaitiene and spiritual assistant Lina Jakele of our Hospital received the grants from IAHPC to participate in the 15th International Congress of Palliative Care in Madrid. We were from one team so we decided to write you together in order to avoid recurrence. We are very thankful to IAHPC for the possibility to participate in the Congress. We have gained a lot of experience in different fields of palliative care.

The development of palliative care in Lithuania continues. We strive to contribute to this through our capabilities. In the Ministry of Health a new Order was prepared to supplement the old one. It expanded the palliative care team to include a psychologist and a nurse assistant; introduced a new term “Hospice” for our country and touched on some other issues. Fentanyl tablets for the treatment of breakthrough oncologic pain registered this year also. These drugs fully reimbursed to oncologic patients. It considerable have changed the quality of life of our patients.

Lina was the first spiritual assistant in palliative care. Thanks to her work, the spiritual mission service at our hospital has expanded significantly. It consists of a chaplain, assistant and quite a large number of volunteers. Lina is the curator of student spiritual nursing practice at our hospital and teaches palliative care at St. Ignatius College in Kaunas. Other organizations were also interested in spiritual help. Jakele became a public instructor after completing Last Aid courses in palliative care, conducted by German lecturers.
Rita and Lina give lectures in training courses on palliative care.

We enjoy that more and more volunteers become involved in Palliative Care. We give them lectures, train them.

Some months ago dr. M. I. Poniskaitiene has stopped working as physician, but she became very active volunteer in our hospital. She visits also some palliative patients at home. She raises constantly her professional qualification, deepens her knowledge in palliative care, popularizes it and participates in palliative care conferences.
Attending of the Congress influenced our work directly and improved our competence as physician, spiritual assistant and researcher.

We wish you all success in your meaningful activity.

Rita Kabasinskiene, Inesa Poniskaitiene, Lina Jakelė