Bradbury Hospice
Since the 1970s, cancer has been the number one cause of death in Hong Kong. Awareness of the needs of dying cancer patients, their families, friends and care givers has grown among small groups of concerned professionals. One of these groups, made up of doctors, nurses, social workers, clergy and members of the public, recognised the need to educate people at all levels of society about the importance of providing good care to the dying.
Sister Gabriel O’Mahony approached the Keswick Foundation (KF) in 1980’s, requesting sponsorship for Professor James Hanratty of St. Joseph Hospice, London, to deliver lectures in Hong Kong. This was the beginning of a long relationship between the newly established Society for the Promotion of Hospice Care (SPHC) and the Keswick Foundation, which eventually resulted in the building of the Bradbury Hospice, the first independent hospice in Hong Kong.
Sponsorship of SPHC by KF began with an Information Office, where the first Home Care Nursing Programme developed, along with research into the needs of the dying. It was soon evident that an independent hospice, away from the busy hospitals, was needed to serve as a centre of learning the art of providing care to the dying. This facility would provide active and coordinated home care and day care programmes to support all cancer patients and their families. Emphasis on holistic care by professionals to relieve physical, psychological, social and spiritual pain is central to the hospice philosophy of care.
KF assisted the SPHC in its efforts to raise funds to build the hospice; SPHC members were introduced to the Bradbury Charitable Trust, the Hong Kong Jockey Club and many other organisations who helped make the Bradbury Hospice a reality.
The Bradbury Hospice was opened in 1992 and situated on A Kung Kok Shan Road in Shatin. It provides excellent and comfortable residential facilities for 26 people with terminal cancer. The construction of the Bradbury Hospice was a concrete step towards the promotion of the concept of palliative care in Hong Kong which is now officially recognised by the government and society after it was funded by KF for three years. The Bradbury Hospice was transferred to the Hospital Authority in 1995.
白普理寧養中心
自七十年代起,癌症一直是本港引致死亡的頭號病因。一群熱心的專業人士逐步意識到臨終病人、家屬、他們的朋友和照料者的需要,並為此成立一個小組,包括醫生、護士、社工、神職人員和公眾人士。小組認為必須提倡公眾教育,讓社會關注臨終病人的需要。
在八十年代,紀寶儀修女向凱瑟克基金提出資助倫敦 St Joseph Hospice 的 James Hanratty 教授來港講課的申請,自此凱瑟克基金和新成立的「善終服務會」(善寧會的前稱)展開了長期的合作關係,最終成立了本港第一間獨立寧養中心。
凱瑟克基金對善寧會的資助源於一所資訊中心,並在此展開了首個家居護理計劃,同時研究臨終病人的需要。期後,事實證明社會是需要一所正規醫院之外的獨立療養院。寧養院不但支援病人和家屬,還具備多種用途:作為學習照顧臨終病人的中心,提供、教授、研發以病人為中心的優質服務,並且舉辦和協調家居與日間護理服務。寧養服務的重點是為病人提供整全的服務,以紓減身體、心理、社交和精神方面的痛苦。
凱瑟克基金一直支持善寧會籌款興建寧養院,並向 Bradbury Charitable Trust、香港賽馬會和多個組織介紹善寧會的宗旨和工作,讓建立白普理寧養中心成為事實。
白普理寧養中心位處沙田亞公角山路,在1992年正式啟用,為二十六名患有癌症的人士提供一個雅緻和舒適的居所。作為本港推廣和實踐紓緩服務的里程碑,白普理寧養中心備受社會和政府的認同。中心在1995年起轉交醫院管理局管理。