ESTABLISHING A PALLIATIVE CARE SERVICE IN ASWAN
History
- Late GCCE-UK chairman Frank Neal, accompanied by Nabil Isshak and Nasser Essa, paid a visit in year 2011 to a Coptic church in Aswan and met with volunteers serving church patients. He addressed the concept of palliative care and discussed` its application on patients with cancer and other serious diseases. This event took place during a visit to Egypt in Oct/Nov 2011.
- Eight years later two visits to Aswan were made to establish a link with patient services, one by Nabil Isshak and Isis Sidhom in March 2019, and the other by Nabil Isshak and Samy Wassef in November of the same year.
- Further visits were made, this time in year 2023, one in February by Lynne Potter and Nabil Isshak, and the other in October by Samy Wassef and Nabil Isshak. While previous visits were not highly effective in the foundation of a palliative care service in Aswan, last year’s visits just did that. Having met a good number of dedicated volunteers, some are members of the medical profession, and discussing the plan with them and with HG Bishop Bishoy, everything worked out well.
- HG Bishop Bishoy chose Rev Abd-al-Maseeh to lead the group of volunteers who dedicated themselves to this service, given the name Abouna Bishoy Kamel Cancer Service, This, by the end of August 2023, started to function.
Current Situation
At the beginning of January this year, 2024, the service started with 25 cancer patients cared for by 10 carers. By the end of April, at an amazing speed, the number of patients exceeded 71 and that of volunteers increased to 28 including 8 doctors and pharmacists. Services given to patients include, day care activities, trips, home and hospital visits, and financial support
This service is likely to spread to other areas of the governance such as Markaz Idfu, Markaz Kawm Umbu and Markaz Daraw. Some patients from these places already seek the help of Abouna Bishoy Kamel Aswan Cancer Service..
GCCE-UK 