(Sydney, NS) -  In a world where “friends” are key to communication and contact, the Hospice Palliative Care Society is about to embark on a campaign to attract additional friends to the fold to mark its 25^th anniversary. Served by dedicated board members and community volunteers, the Society has worked collaboratively with the Cape Breton District Health Authority to meet the many unique and special needs of patients and families facing life threatening illnesses.

Hospice Palliative Care Society has, over the years, most notably helped to establish the An Cala Unit in the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. With space provided by the District Health Authority, they raised over $750,000 for the furnishings and many comforting spaces and services that are used by more than 600 patients and families annually.  Funds raised by the Society  are also used to  purchase home support items for patients who wish to remain at home - not simply medical equipment but items that will keep a family functioning as it cares for someone who is seriously ill – everything from takeout and a movie to a washer and bed linens. The list is as unique as the patient’s situation and the Society responds to needs identified by social workers, nurses, doctors and volunteer “house mothers” within twenty-four hours of a request.

The Hospice Palliative Care Society of Cape Breton County is celebrating its 25th anniversary in 2011. Twenty -five years ago, palliative care was not known or available in Cape Breton, and today we are very fortunate to have a well developed Palliative Care Program island wide. In appreciation and recognition of these 25 years of community support and health care development, the Society is “reaching out” in a small way to The Partnership in Caring Project. This project began as a partnership and sharing between the nursing community in Antigonish and the staff of Butare Hospital, Rwanda as they strive to improve quality of care for the people of Rwanda.