The Belize Hospice Palliative Care Foundation is proud to support holistic care to hundreds of patients with life threatening diseases across Belize. Established since 2006, the foundation has served countless patients and caregivers free of cost through a network of volunteer physicians, nurses and non-medical personnel through home visits. We are committed to continue advocating on behalf of the many patients who are still in need of palliative care services and to partner with the different stakeholders in promoting and ensuring palliative care for all.
To serve as a national example on affirming and enriching life, providing quality community relations, and recognizing the unique needs of others as an extension of the ministry of God.
To operate a palliative care program for the country of Belize that will make physical, psychosocial and spiritual care available to those who have been affected by or diagnosed by a life limiting illness, ensuring integrity and quality of life as sustained by God.
The patient and their families are considered the unit of care. The needs of the individual members of the unit of care need to be identified and addressed individually with compassion.
The global need for palliative care is immense. It is currently estimated that around 5.5 million terminal cancer patients and 1 million end-stage AIDS patients suffer without access to palliative care each year. Low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) bear a disproportionate share of this worldwide morbidity and mortality. Tragically, these same countries are often the ones also most lacking in palliative care services.
In response to this need in Belize, Dr. Beatriz Thompson founded the Belize Hospice and Palliative Care Foundation (BHPCF) in 2006. Through a network of volunteer physicians, nurses, and other non-medical personnel, the BHPCF has provided care to hundreds of seriously and terminally ill patients across Belize. Though occasionally evaluating patients in the hospital, most of this care has been provided through home visits.
To date, more than 10 years later, the BHPCF has become the leading organization in providing palliative care among those with chronic and life-limiting illness in our country, especially to those under privileged. However, because of limited financial, human, and operational resources, the BHPCF has only been able to care for a small fraction of the population in need of palliative care services.
There is a lack of training in palliative care among medical and nursing staff and keeping community volunteers committed has been a challenge. With this, the BHPC continues to promote community-based palliative care, promotes training for the medical and non-medical professionals through out Belize and is the leading advocate and the “voice” for all those persons who are in much need of palliative and hospice care.
Founder
President
Vice President
Secretary
Treasurer