Spring 2019

2018 Global Partnership Award Global Partners in Care announced that its partners,Hospice of The Western Reserve (located in Cleveland,OH) and Helderberg Hospice (located in SomersetWest, South Africa), are the recipients of the 2018Global Partnership Award. The award was presented toHospice of the Western Reserve during the NationalHospice and Palliative Care Organization’s annualLeadership and Advocacy Conference on April 15th,2019. Helderberg Hospice will receive their award at theAfrican Palliative Care Association’s 6th InternationalAfrican Palliative Care Conference in September.

The Global Partnership Award is an opportunity to recognize the outstanding efforts of apartnership that has demonstrated the core values of a true partnership: commitment to building astrong relationship, partner collaboration, staff contribution and commitment, and communityoutreach and involvement. The award comes with a $500 donation to the international hospicepartner.

“Hospice of the Western Reserve has shown what atremendous impact one partnership can have in thedelivery of palliative care. The long-term commitmentthey have made to Helderberg has made a lasting effecton the patients and families needing palliative care.”said Mark Murray, President / CEO of Global Partners inCare.

“This partnership is as important as anything we do,”noted William Finn, CEO of Hospice of the WesternReserve. New employees receive a briefing on the

partnership and the organization has named a conference room after its South African partners.

According to Gail Sykes, CEO of Helderberg Hospice, “The visits that we have been privileged toshare over the years have highlighted our similarities and shown that as long as you have ahospice heart, we speak the exact same language. I personally was fortunate enough to beinvolved in the 2015 visit to Cleveland and was so impressed by the fact that all the staff memberswith whom we met were so welcoming and generous with sharing their time and knowledge. Norequest was too big or too difficult and as a result the time spent was most informative and hasproved invaluable over the intervening years. It was a very busy time with not a minute wasted butwe returned home energized and ‘fed’ by the generosity of our partners across the water.”

Global Partners in Care congratulates Hospice of The Western Reservice, Inc. and HelderbergHospice for their outstanding commitment to their partnership and for making a lasting impact onpalliative care in Africa.

NHPCO Leadershipand AdvocacyConferenceAs Global Partners in Carecontinues to move forward inbuilding partnerships, developingeducation and researchopportunities, and engaging inglobal collaborations, the recentNHPCO Leadership and AdvocacyConference in Washington DCprovided rich opportunities to dojust that. During the 3-dayconference GPIC staff:

Celebrated the Global Partners inCare Award Recipient at the GPICLuncheon.

Recognized the pioneer vision andcompassion of FHSSA co-founderDr. Bernice Catherine Harper whoattended both the GPIC AdvisoryCouncil Meeting and Luncheon.

Engaged in significant discussionsregarding leadership, funding, andcollaborative training with theAdvisory Council members whoattended the conference.

Collaborated with the HospiceFoundation and Center for HospiceCare to present a workshop onengaging communities locally andglobally.

Represented our partners in theExhibit Hall at the GPIC exhibitbooth where we shared informationand handed out applications toseveral interested US hospiceprograms. We also madeconnections with many possiblecollaborators.

Sent a delegate to Capitol Hill to

Making the World Smaller Through MusicOn Sunday, February 24, Northwestern Medicine DeKalb Hospice hosted its 8th annual fundraiserfor its South African partner, Knysna Sedgefield Hospice. The fundraiser, “Transformation throughRhythm,” was a concert featuring percussion music by the DeKalb High School PercussionEnsemble, Northern Illinois University Percussion Ensemble, and Harambee African PercussionEnsemble. About 300 people attended the event, some for the first time, some for the fifth time, andsome for an admirable eighth time. The concert proved a success, raising over $1,500 which willsupport the work of Knysna Sedgefield Hospice.

The festivities began with an inspiring letter from Knysna Hospice wherethey thanked both the performers and attendees for taking part in theevent. “Your ongoing support is gratefully recognized. May you all sharein the wonderful afternoon of music, and please know we are all so verygrateful for your efforts and support.” Knysna also sent a videohighlighting their work and conveying their mission of holistic palliativecare in their South African community. They provide palliative careservices at no cost to more than 240 patients per month. Their servicesinclude home visits, support groups, support for children of patients,bereavement, financial assistance and respite care – no small feat for a staff of less than 20.

The performances that followed provedimpressive and exciting. Performers rangedfrom the college-aged NIU PercussionEnsemble down to young children in theHarambee Percussion Ensemble. Onlookersagreed that the participants performed withpalpable heart and soul. The hard work andenthusiasm that they put into this performance

was evident. Denis Kidde, Program Coordinator for Global Partners in Care, was particularlyimpressed with a piece by the youngest group, called Isai Tauyo Pano, claiming their passionatedrumming “electrified the audience.”

“I firmly believe that this is a heart-warming, fun event for the entire community and for all ages…It’s the kind of music people clap and sing along to. You will leave with a smile on your face not onlybecause of the music, but because you’re helping support people on the other side of the planet.You’re helping make the world a better place through music,” said Greg Beyer, Professor andDirector of Percussion Studies and co-director of the NIU Percussion Ensemble.

At the end, all three groups joined together to perform a closing act in which they asked foraudience participation to learn a rhythmic clap. This gesture highlighted the motivation behind thefundraiser: unison between many different people to create something truly beautiful.

“Music and rhythm unite us and are uniquely human. Just as thechildren in Knynsa Sedgefield Hospice benefit from therapeuticdrumming, we gather and beat in time to support, honor, and unite withour brothers and sisters in South Africa,” Jen Conley, Music Therapistand Counselor at Northwestern Medicine Hospice DeKalb said. “Musictruly makes the world smaller and this benefit concert is a wonderfulexample of this.”

Events like these can be successful fundraisers for partnerships, but they are also important toraise awareness of palliative care and the needs in palliative care globally.

AnnouncementsJoin us at the 6th African Palliative Care ConferenceSeptember 17-20, 2019 in Kigali, RwandaGPIC looks forward to gathering partners and collaborators at this conference. For moreinformation, visit their website.

Partnership with Evangelical LutheranChurch of Tanzania (ELCT)GPIC has partnered with ELCT for manyyears to enhance access to palliative careacross Tanzania. There are currently 8partnerships between US organizationsand ELCT palliative care programs. Wewere pleased to host a visit of ELCTPalliative Care Coordinator, Dr. PaulMmbando, in April to advance thiscollaboration.

raise awareness about the work ofGPIC.

Palliative Care: ANeglected GlobalHealth PriorityThe Consortium of Universities forGlobal Health (CUGH) held its 10thAnnual Conference March 8-10,2019. CUGH is a Washington, DC-based organization of over 170academic institutions and otherorganizations from around theworld that are engaged inaddressing global healthchallenges. CUGH was establishedin 2008 with generous funding fromthe Bill & Melinda GatesFoundation and The RockefellerFoundation. Its mission is tosupport academic institutions andpartners to improve the wellbeingof people and the planet througheducation, research, service andadvocacy. For the first time in its 10-yearhistory, the conference included apanel discussion on PalliativeCare: “Palliative Care: A NeglectedGlobal Health Priority.” GlobalPartners in Care helped sponsorthe panel and assisted in leadingthe effort to form a global palliativecare working group at CUGH.

“We are encouraged that the issueof palliative care is rising inimportance in the global healthcommunity,” said Lacey Ahern,GPIC Program Director. Also advocating for palliative carewas GPIC Advisory Councilmember and Director of theWalther Supportive OncologyProgram at Indiana UniversitySchool of Medicine, Dr. Jim Cleary,who participated in the GlobalCancer Symposium as part of theCUGH Conference. In speaking tothe Symposium audience, heemphasized the important ofcancer care for all (rather than onlytreatment) and pointed out theimportant role of palliative care inthat care.

Partnership SurveysThese are very important for us to gather feedback – this helps GPIC better support you. Anypartners who haven’t yet filled these out – please do so! Contact Cyndy with any questions(searfossc@globalpartnersincare.org).

As GPIC continues to focus onresearch and education as one ofits priorities, we look forward tofuture collaboration with CUGH.