By Bejay Browne.
The president of Cyprus has been asked to intervene to enable the Friend’s hospice in Paphos continue with it’s vital work and prevent its permanent closure. The appeal to Nicos Anastasiades was made by the head of the Paphos municipality social welfare committee, Charalambos Pazaros.
Pazaros highlighted the importance of the facility in the community, which offers free palliative care and support to cancer patients and their families.
“I have written to the President to ask for his help in keeping the hospice open. I have asked him to help the people of Paphos. This is a very important asset for Paphos and is for everyone, and anyone can find themselves in a situation where they need to use it, no matter if you’re rich or poor. I have asked him to step in and do this for us, for our parents and our children,” he said.
In June, the hospice announced that on top of a huge drop in income (the charity’s five shops had to close during the coronavirus lockdown) they also had formal notice to vacate the dedicated wing of St George’s Polyclinic, as it is now needed for future operational purposes.
It costs around €250,000 to €300,000 to operate the hospice each year, according to the president of the hospice foundation, Chris Jones.
For the past two and a half months, the hospice’s board of directors has explored various possibilities for an alternative location. These included relocating to St James Clinic situated on the Tombs of the Kings Road in Paphos, but this idea was scuppered by the ministry of health due to new EU regulations.
Since it first opened in 2006, the charity has given palliative care to more than 2,000 patients suffering from diseases for which there is no known medical cure. Treatment is offered free of any charge to people of all nationalities and regardless of their ability to pay.
Pazaros has visited the hospice on a number of occasions and met with staff and volunteers, he spoke of the tremendous love and care provided to patients and their families during difficult times.
If the hospice closes indefinitely, it will be devastating, and a great defeat for the volunteers and the institution of the charity, he noted.
“In a letter to the President, I have outlined what the hospice needs, moves to fix a house that has been donated in Tala so that it meets requirements, or an alternative space to be found, so they may operate from there,” he said.
A local philanthropic family has offered a large house to the hospice, but it will take time and a considerable outlay to carry out necessary structural changes required by the government.
“I am hoping that I may meet with the president and that he will step in and help prevent the closure of the hospice at the end of the month,” he said.
In the meantime, a local Paphos resident, Joanna Kouloumos,has started a ‘Go Get Funding’ page to raise €50,000. The aim is to renovate a house in the Paphos district donated recently to the hospice.
“Following the recent news about the Friends’ Hospice’s imminent closure, I have started a fundraiser to support the hospice in the hope that they can soon reopen stronger than ever,” she said.
The fundraisers father spent his final days at the hospice.
“They cared for him as if he were family, giving my Mum much needed relief during what was the most difficult time in our lives,” she said.
“Our community needs the Hospice, and I can’t imagine what thousands of families like mine would have gone through without their support. They provided comfort not only to the patients but their loved ones as well.”
Go get funding link : GO GET FUNDING
