Helping die comfortably: Hospice Nepal

Hospice Incharge- Mr. Ganesh Koirala counselling a relative of a Hospice patient.

Life sometimes offers tremendous pain, yet people figure out some sort of hope to live. However, painless death is the best way out in few cases. Hospice Nepal is a non- profitable organization serving humanity, dedicated to dying cancer patients whose curative hopes of returning back to normal life have totally diminished. Hospice Nepal neither hastens nor postpones death. Hospice provides the incurable patients a palliative care to minimize physical agony before their final departure. It provides relief from pain and other stressful symptoms and prepares the patient’s family to bear the hard times during illness and in bereavement. We at Explore Himalaya always try to figure out the areas where we can extend our helping hands. Hence, two Explore Himalayans (Kritee and Jeeten) went to Hospice Nepal located in Lagankhel, Lalitpur. Though we had an opportunity to observe the intense fight between life and death, the experience was heart breaking, as in Hospice life has never won.

Hospice Nepal

Explore Himalaya has made a significant impact to economic, academic, environmental and health sectors of Nepalese community. Each One Teach One Project has been launched to educate the children victimized by war. Explore Himalaya has  provided infrastructures like computer labs, science labs and covered hall to the schools in Khumbu and Nuwakot, donated financial aid to Namche Health Post in Khumbu and renovated Bhairavi Temple in Nuwakot which are its major contribution  to the community among others. As a part of our CSR, Explore Himalaya has made the beginning in extending the helping hands towards Hospice Nepal.

Hospice Nepal was initiated by Om Rajbhandari, Dr. Rajesh Man Dangol and Dr. Pradeep Vaidhya in 2000 AD. Now providing the services of palliative care to dying cancer patients, Hospice Nepal offers diverse kind of patient friendly services. However, the organization dedicated to offer the comforts to our dying beloved has no significant donor. The story of Hospice itself is painful though it has successfully managed to relieve the pain of hundreds of dying patients. Besides, Hospice Nepal fulfills the last wishes of the dying patients which itself is the holiest task human can do.

Free kitchen and groceries to those, who can’t afford to eat two meals a day, in Kathmandu

We as  visitors to Hospice Nepal and representatives of Explore Himalaya, recommend all the national and international organizations and individuals, to go through the link http://www.hospicenepal.org.np/index.htm and make a decision, whether to make a contribution or not. Ganesh Koirala, In-charge of Hospice Nepal says, “Making a contribution to Hospice Nepal necessarily does not need money or networks, sharing the few happy moments with the dying people to bring smile in their faces is exclusively noble itself.” Koirala adds, “For me the whole life has been a challenge as I know that every patient coming here has limited life line however, seeing patients living their final moments comfortably satisfies me.”

Personally, we had very heavy hearts. However, we salute the motto of Hospice “Somebody should die of cancer is God’s will, nobody should die of pain is Hospice’s wish”.

Hats off to Hospice Nepal!

Inside Hospice

If you are willing to contribute to Hospice Nepal or want to know more about the organization please contact:

Mr. Ganesh Koirala

Phone: +977-1-551280, 5534820

Mobile: +977-9841385513

Email:koiralaganesh_2005@yahoo.com

Website:  http://www.hospicenepal.org.np/index.htm

One more patient in Hospice

Article written by Jeeten and Kritee based on interaction with Ganesh Koirala at Hospice Nepal.