Mons. Paglia ha visitato l'Hospice di Kigali il 19 settembre 2019

Rwanda’s first Center for Palliative Care (Hospice  John Paul II in Kabuga)

The Palliative Care Center - Hospice John Paul II was blessed by H.E. Thaddée Ntihunyirwa, Archbishop of Kigali on May 2nd, 2013 in the presence of H.E. Archbishop Luciano Russo, Apostolic Nuncio in Rwanda.

In this Center, founded by the Sisters of the Angels, sick people suffering from chronic diseases such as cancer (and other incurable sicknesses) get all the necessary care during this terminal phase of their sufferings. This first establishment of the kind in Rwanda received the authorization to open from the Ministry of Health in August 2013.

(il racconto prosegue dopo le foto)

The Congregation of the Sisters of the Angels arrived in Rwanda in 1984. From the very beginning, through various apostolic activities, the Sisters sought to find an answer for the spiritual and social needs of the Rwandan people, and especially so health and pedagogical services. They operate mostly in health care centers, food distribution centers, dental clinics, sewing and embroidering shops, and supervision and animation in favor of youth and children.

This idea of building a center for palliative care was born after many years of observation and experience on the part of the Sisters while working with sick people and more so with those abandoned by their families because they were incapable of taking proper care of these members of their families.

This establishment’s goal is to help families whose life conditions do not allow them to give proper care to those who are sick. In this Center, sick people are hospitalized and receive proper care (diminishing of pain, checking all symptoms of the type of sickness, and proper meals).

Recreational therapy (music, reading of stories by volunteers, and video for those who can walk) is also available.  

The health situation of the sick as well as their needs are very well followed by qualified staff members (doctors, nurses, social assistants and a psychologist) who are helped by well formed volunteers. It is a question of caring both for their soul and body, and not only to accompany the ones who are about to die.   

The fact that the Shrine of Divine Mercy is very near, as well as the parish church and that Christians are committed in their work as volunteers is of great help in order to realize our objectives.

We accept all sick people no matter what their religious confession is.

Pope John Paul II said: “A man who suffers calls upon another man. He needs his help. He needs his presence. We are often intimidated because we are helpless to do something for someone who suffers. Perhaps, more than recovering his health, he needs our presence, our heart and our solidarity”.

The Sisters of the Angels want to respond to this appeal in Rwanda through this Center of palliative care, which is a living monument of  Pope Saint John Paul II who all through his life has always fought in favor of life from the very moment of conception until a natural death.

During a 6 year period, 180 patients have been taken care of in our hospice. The oldest person among them was 100 years old and the youngest one 4 years old. The great majority of them were suffering from one kind or other of cancer.

For the past 3 years we have invited a physiotherapist who, in spite of the meager means of the Center, makes the sick do exercises and does massages for them. This is possible because of the collaboration with a team at the Center which evaluates the degree of suffering and takes into account the degree of tiredness. In spite of our efforts and of our good will, we are very limited as far as space is concerned – we would need a hall uniquely for rehabilitation.

A great challenge at the Center is the use of pampers. We have to go several times a week to Masaka at the Pallottine Sisters’ health center in order to incinerate them. The cost of transporting them and getting rid of them is quite great. This is why we plan to find a way of buying our own incinerator here at the Center.

Although we encounter many difficulties, we do not lose hope and we keep on looking for different ways of coming to the help of the poor and needy.

We also care for those children who have lost their parents at our Center for palliative care. Till now we have thus helped 13 children. 5 of them have become adults while others are completing their studies.

We are encouraged by the words of our Founder, the Servant of God, Wincenty Kluczynski ( Archbishop of  Mohylev from 1910-1914), who said: “Pray with confidence, suffer with love, and work in calm and silence”, and thus we continue our apostolate among those who suffer the most.   

11.09.2019                                                           Sr. Maria Piątek CSA