A new follow-up to the public campaign “Incurable, not fully treated” will run from December 23, 2023 to January 12, 2024. The campaign is part of the National Palliative Care II Program (NPPZ II). With this program, the Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport wants to increase social awareness about palliative care and make care and support available.
Personal stories
In the campaign, 7 people with a life-threatening illness tell their personal story. They are Julian (20), Kevin (27), Mike (39), Mirjam, (49) Renée (54), Waheeda (56) and Wim (73) who open up about their affairs. Four of them have a familiar face to the general public: Mike, Mirjam, Renée and Wim. They also featured in the precursor to this campaign, in March 2023. The personal stories can be read via the palliative care website.
The right words
The conversation about being terminally ill and everything that is still possible must be improved. This is the opinion of 15 collaborating organizations that are launching the public campaign. The campaign should raise awareness about what palliative care can mean for people with a life-threatening illness and their loved ones. “Access to palliative care starts with using the right words,” says Saskia Teunissen, professor of palliative care and chair of the NPPZ II steering group. For many patients, the term “finished treatment” is associated with “having given up” or no longer receiving care. But even in the case of an incurable disease, the person behind the disease is never completely treated. Various forms of help and support are still possible in the palliative phase.
More and more palliative care is needed
Palliative care is relevant for a growing group of people in the Netherlands. In 2022, more than 170,000 people will die in the Netherlands compared to 110,000 people in 2018. About 70% of these deaths are not unexpected. The main causes are cancer, organ failure, dementia and stroke. About 120,000 people and their loved ones need palliative care.
Organizations
Organizations participating in the campaign include Patient Federation, ActiZ, Doctors Federation KNMG, Medische Kindzorg, Vereniging PZNL (including Carend) and Knowledge Center for Children’s Palliative Care.
Source: Carend
