To talk about palliative care is to say that Portugal does not offer response to over 70% people with palliative needs, adding that the expectation is for those needs to double by 2060. To talk about palliative care is to alert to the difficulty of access to this area of health care, since in about 70 thousand adults with palliative needs, only 20 thousand were followed up by a palliative care team, and in about 8 thousand children with palliative needs, only 800 had access to palliative care, according to the latest data from the Ministry for Health (2019-2020). To talk about palliative care is to emphasise the importance of access to this care, by all in need of it. To talk about palliative care is to praise the work of all professionals dedicated to this area – of every clinical team, every formal and informal caregiver, and every patient –, thanking every team in Hospital da Luz network involved in palliative care. In the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day , this year celebrated on October 9, all of this will be talked about, to cheer and support palliative care all over the world and call for equity in access, for the urgency of further investment in this area of health, and for the intensification of training for specialized health professionals. Otherwise, the quality of health care provided will be at stake, for all those who deal with a severe or chronic disease or are in end-of-life stage, and their families. This is an initiative of the Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (WHPCA), always with the support of the World Health Organization. This year, the awareness-raising campaign has for motto “ Leave no one behind – equity in access to palliative care ”. The Luz Saúde group joins, once again, this campaign, celebrating the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day in its whole network of hospitals and clinics, thanking in particular all Hospital da Luz teams involved in palliative care , that in an exemplary, integrated and compassionate manner, dedicate their life to these patients. Because everyone matters!
