National Palliative Care Week 2024 – a landmark event for health and care sectors
24 May 2024
“Our campaign this year has reached millions of Australians where they are and supported conversations about end of life planning as well developing a greater awareness of the holistic team approach that is at the heart of palliative care,” says Camilla Rowland, Chief Executive Officer, Palliative Care Australia.
A host of local events across the week as well as a dynamic social media campaign has allowed Palliative Care Australia (PCA), its members around the country, and sector more broadly, to embrace a new look and feel – with the official launch of the ‘orange heart’ as the symbol of the sector and the ‘people at the heart of quality palliative care.’
“The orange heart represents the care, connection, and warmth that is such a part of palliative care, it represents the bond between health professionals and volunteers and the people and families in their care,” Ms Rowland says.
The community is invited to buy and wear an orange heart lapel pin as a show of support for the people giving and receiving palliative care – HERE.
Local events where the orange heart featured:
- 12,000 orange hearts on the steps of Parliament House, Adelaide
- Ambulance Wish Queensland Gala Dinner, Brisbane
- Launch of nominations for the Palliative Care Tasmania Awards
- Palliative Care NSW Professional Education Day
- Palliative Care Victoria’s ‘Volunteering in palliative care – give it a go!’ video
- Western Australia’s annual sector breakfast in Perth, Bunbury, and Albany
- Launch of Palliative Care ACT’s ‘Puddles of Life’ podcast
- Advertising campaign in the NT News by Palliative Care NT
National Palliative Care Week is supported by the Australian Government Department of Health and Aged Care and is the nation’s largest annual initiative of its kind.
“We are very grateful for the extra support this year of the wider health, care, and advocacy sector who have helped amplify our message and break down those taboos that seem to stop us talking about death and dying – and seeing it as a phase of life,” Ms Rowland says.
“Each year our ambition is to also show our appreciation for the doctors, nurses, physios, dieticians, social workers, therapists, volunteers, and many others who deliver quality of life to people with life limiting illness and their loved ones."
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