Paedspal

Paedspal exists to make each day matter in the lives of children with incurable conditions, through the relief of suffering, the support of families and the empowerment of healthcare workers Paedspal was established in 2016 in response to the desperate need for palliative care services for children with non-curable illnesses. Central to this is the recognition that care needs to be holistic, responding to the physical, emotional and spiritual needs of the child and the family. According to UNICEF, over 800 000 South African children were in need of palliative care yet less than 5% were receiving it in 2013. Unfortunately, government funding for specialist palliative care is very limited and the bulk of specialist services are provided by the NGO sector. To this end, Paedspal has rapidly grown to respond to an urgent need. On average, Paedspal provides over 4,000 palliative care consultations to children and their families every year. With a staff of 16, Paedspal is the largest specialist palliative care organisation in the country dedicated to children.