On 24th February 2022, Russia invaded Ukraine. As part of our blog series about the impact of the war in Ukraine, and to mark one year since the Russian invasion, Kristina Keleman, from Sheptytsky Hospital, Lviv, Ukraine, reflects on an unimaginable year.
The main goal of palliative care in Sheptytsky Hospital is to maintain the quality of life in its final stage, to alleviate the physical and moral suffering of the patient and their relatives as much as possible, and to preserve the patient’s human dignity at the end of their earthly life. Long-term round-the-clock care of a terminally ill person at the place of residence is often an unbearable burden for relatives because, in addition to physical stress, spiritual and psychological stress is added, and the problem of lack of knowledge and basic skills of caring for bedridden patients is also often encountered.
The palliative care services offered at Sheptytsky Hospital include the assessment of the needs of patients; relief of pain and other symptoms of an incurable progressive disease; help to overcome concomitant symptoms (constipation, nausea, breathlessness, pressure ulcers etc.); counselling and training of persons who care for the patient, and coordination and cooperation with other institutions to ensure the medical, psychological, social and other needs of the patient are met.
Since the beginning of the full-scale war, more than 245,000 internally displaced persons have been officially registered in the Lviv region. Every day, the number of people displaced only increases. Since last February, the Sheptytsky Hospital has been actively involved in helping those who are displaced, as well those who normally live in Lviv. A vivid example of such assistance is the palliative department of the Hospital.
During the war, we have comprehensively supported people in need of medical treatment and assistance. We have managed to:
- receive more than 200 palliative patients
- purchase equipment for the leisure of palliative patients (such as televisions)
- purchased new beds that are more comfortable for patients
- installed new patient wardrobes, and
- installed oxygen for patients in the palliative department.
Internally displaced persons entering our palliative care unit also need social and humanitarian services. Therefore, the Hospital team works closely with various charities and other organisations to meet their needs. Every day, our staff perform a titanic job and we, as a Hospital, appreciate and support the palliative care department in every way.
Links and resources
- Read Life in Lviv, Ukraine – Kristina’s EAPC blog from March 2022.
- To read more in the EAPC blog series on the impact of the war in Ukraine, click here.
- Click here to learn more about Sheptytsky Hospital.
About the author
Kristina Keleman is the Head of Development at Sheptytsky Hospital. She has worked at the hospital since 2019. Her department is responsible for development, fundraising, public relations and marketing for the hospital.
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