Palliative Care

A cancer diagnosis can cause significant psychological, physical, emotional, and spiritual suffering for patients and their loved ones. Algoma District Cancer Program is focused on patient-centred care, ensuring that our patients and their families are well supported throughout the course of their illness. We are committed to maximizing patients’ quality of life and minimizing symptom burden.

 

What is Palliative Care?

Palliative care is an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problems associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems, physical, psychological and spiritual. (World Health Organization)

 

Palliative care is aimed at relief of suffering and improving the quality of life for person who are living with or dying from advanced illness or are bereaved. (Canadian Hospice/Palliative Care Association)

 

Palliative care refers to both a program and a concept of care based on the provision of comfort. It is designed for individuals who are living with, or dying from, a progressive life threatening illness. The program enhances quality of life through pain and symptom control and provides emotional and spiritual support for both patients and families. Compassionate and specialized care is provided with specialized knowledge and skills (Canadian Cancer Society).