Korean society celebrates 20 years supporting palliative care
By Marita Linkson (APHN Volunteer)
The 2018 Korean Society for Hospice and Palliative Care (KSHPC) conference, held 6 – 7 July in Seoul, South Korea, marked the 20th anniversary of the society. The event was an excellent opportunity for delegates to come together, network, learn and reflect on the history and development of palliative care in Korea over the past 20 years. A celebratory ceremony was held on the evening of the first day.
The event was attended by 640 delegates; mainly local palliative care workers, along with some invited representatives from the South Korean Ministry of Health and Welfare.
Of note was the launch of the first Korean language text book for palliative care. The book was the culmination of two years’ work, with contributions from more than 80 experts.
Also, of note, was the announcement of the KSHPC’s new Mission and Vision.
The diverse program featured seven guest speakers from nearby Asian countries, and topics included:
- Counselling and communication;
- National trends in Hospice Palliative Care (HPC);
- HPC development in Asia;
- Advances in symptom management;
- WHO guidance and tools for integrating palliative care into health care systems; and
- Time trends of palliative care and life-sustaining treatment in US hospitals and its clinical and policy implications.
The Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) Chair, Dr Cynthia Goh, was unable to attend the event in person, but delivered a welcome message by video. Dr Goh spoke proudly of developments in palliative care, acknowledging Korea’s role in the formation of two of the three international organisations representing hospice and palliative care worldwide: The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance (The WHPCA); and The International Children’s Palliative Care Network (The IPCN). She also encouraged delegates to plan events for the upcoming World Hospice and Palliative Care Day, a unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world, to be held on 13 October 2018 (for more information, visit www.worldday.org). You can view Dr Goh’s full presentation here: https://youtu.be/aeNJOskdPHk
Dr Goh also sent a message to the KSHPC ahead of the event, in which she spoke fondly of her interactions with the society over the years, and expressed her personal congratulations.
‘It is a brave new world out there, and at its 20th Anniversary, I wish the Korean Society of Hospice and Palliative Care all the very best as it takes up the challenges facing palliative care and its development, both within Korea and in the regional and global arena’. Dr Cynthia Goh
You can read her full message here: 
Next Conference
The KHPCS holds its conference twice yearly, in Summer and Winter. The next conference is scheduled to commence on Saturday 1 December 2018, in Kwang-gu City, Korea.
About KHPCS
The Korean Hospice and Palliative Care Society (KHPCS) was established in 1998 and is the national umbrella body for hospice and palliative care in Korea. The Society works to provide education, consultation, and policy development in palliative care; and support for local palliative care workers.
For more information about the society, please visit their website at http://www.hospicecare.or.kr, or email hospice@hospicecare.co.kr
Photos courtesy of Korean Hospice and Palliative Care Society (KHPCS)