Concept of Palliative Care
Palliative care is a concept of care for patients living with advanced incurable cancers.

The term 'palliative' is derived from the Latin word 'Pallium' meaning cloak or a mask. The aim of palliative care is to cover or mask the distressing symptoms associated with advanced cancer and improve the quality of life for patients and their families.

Palliative care can be given in many settings including the hospital, a hospice, as part of a community based hospice programme and in a nursing home. Palliative care seeks to relieve pain and other troublesome symptoms, provide emotional, psychological and spiritual support to patients and their families.

It must be emphasised that even in the serious situation of advanced stage cancer, one must not lose hope.

Relief of pain and other symptoms as well as supportive measures will allow patients with advanced disease to have reasonable and comfortable quality of life.

Dame Cicely Saunders
The founder of the modern hospice, Dame Cicely Saunders was one of the pioneers of the ethos and principles of palliative care and the hospice movement. She founded St. Christophers Hospice in London, which became a demonstration model to the medical and nursing profession worldwide on care of patients with terminal cancer. It exemplified compassionate and humane care for these patients. Her example has been emulated the world over with the formation of hospices and palliative care organisations in many countries including Malaysia.

Better assessment of pain including routine use of pain assessment scales has allowed doctors and nurses to better identify pain in their patients. This has allowed for more effective pain relief since identifying pain at the earliest instance allows for prompt and effective treatment.

Routine use of strong painkillers such as Morphine, an opioid analgesic, for chronic cancer pain have translated into more effective pain control for most patients. A better understanding of Morphine derived from studies in the 1980s has shown that it is safe and effective when used by doctors and nurses experienced in its usage. It has also been shown clearly in these studies that it does not cause addiction in patients with chronic cancer pain.

Holistic Care
By achieving pain control and comfort, people with advanced cancer can deal with emotional and other issues arising out of terminal disease. Palliative care allows them to explore spiritual issues, reflect on their life achievements, their legacy, complete any unfinished business and spend meaningful time with their family.

Dame Cicely Saunders captured the spirit of palliative care when she said, "You matter because you are you, you matter to the last moment of your life and we are here not only to help you die peacefully but also to help you live until you die".