Another most successful Perinatal Palliative Care Workshop was held at Sica’s Guest House in Durban on Saturday 26 October with over 70 delegates in attendance. The workshop was a collaboration between PatchSA and the local paediatric palliative care charity, Umduduzi Hospice Care for Children.

The purpose of the CPD accredited workshop was to educate, inform and improve the level of care of parents, fetuses, and neonates diagnosed either in utero, at birth or soon after birth with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness condition. The workshop’s theme was Perinatal Palliative Care – Ensuring a Continuum of Care in the Face of Uncertainty. 

The well-supported event was attended by healthcare professionals, general and specialist doctors, nurses, social workers, and therapists working in paediatric wards, NICU’s and Neonatal clinics in Durban, with some professionals traveling from the Western Cape and Gauteng to learn from the best that Durban has to offer. The highly proficient presenters and panelists included:

  • Sr Tracy Rawlins (Education & Training Manager – PatchSA)
  • Dr Julia Ambler (Children’s Palliative Care Doctor – Umduduzi)
  • Tracey Brand (Medical Social Worker – Umduduzi)
  • Dr Nicolette Brown (Neonatologist)
  • Dr Samantha Govender (Paediatrician)
  • Nokulinda Mkhize (Traditional Healer/Author)
  • Nonkululeko Shibula (Bereavement Doula)
  • Sr Nelisiwe Catherine Mtolo (Nurse – Umduduzi)
  • Sr Ruth Davidge (KZN Neonatal Programme Manager)
  • Dr Kas Govender (Specialist Obstetrician & Gynaecologist)
  • Sr Marlene Nadesan (Genetics Nurse)
  • Dr Nadiya Frank (Obstetrician & Gynaecologist)
  • Dr Nox Mbadi (Paediatric Head -Addington Hospital)

The morning fittingly began with the testimony of Mandisa, a bereaved mother, who spoke of the emotional roller coaster of hope and grief following a life-threatening diagnosis of her baby and how the team from Umduduzi had supported her through the loss of her son. Tracy Rawlins followed with a look at the integration of a palliative care framework into perinatal care, followed by Dr Julia Ambler who covered topics including principles of perinatal palliative care, ethical considerations and decision making, and advance care planning.

After the tea break Dr Nicky Brown and Sr Nelisiwe Mtolo took a close look into compassionate communication and Tracey Brand covered the psychosocial and spiritual care of a child and family members. Dr Samantha Govender gave an excellent presentation on providing the best possible supportive care in the NICU, which included pain and symptom management. A highlight of the morning was the presentation by celebrated author and iSangoma, Nokulinda Mkhize, who provided a most thought-provoking presentation on bridging the gap of social and clinical competencies between spiritual and cultural practices and knowledge, and the western clinical approach.

After lunch, Dr Ambler moderated an excellent panel discussion where panelists were able to paint a very clear picture of the challenges facing the provision of perinatal palliative care in Durban healthcare settings as well as look at ways these can be overcome. The afternoon session continued with an excellent presentation by Nonkululeko Shibula, founder of Umzanyama Birth Services on the importance of memory making and the day’s learning was brought together by Dr Nicky Brown as she walked delegates through a relevant Case Study.

We wish to thank the Community Chest for their support in presenting this workshop and announce that we will be presenting a similar workshop in Cape Town on Saturday 23 November in Rondebosch in Cape Town. CLICK HERE to learn more and register.