Birth and death are the two sides of the coin called Life. 

The driving force behind human life is the urge to a dignified life. Each day we strive for things that will make us feel happy. All the 40 trillion cells within the human body desire this.  What happens when some of the cells are afflicted? In other words, when one falls ill? To an extent, the advancement in modern medicine has contributed to the discovery of cures, however we also are faced with a multitude of life threatening diseases that have no cure to date. 

When one contracts an illness that can progressively weaken the body with excruciating pain, the mind weakens.

Although terminal illness must run their course, there is an increasing tendency to try to treat the disease. The disease becomes primary and the individual and his needs secondary.  It is of course natural human tendency to want to control our lives. But it is important to understand that in the face of harsh realities, the body, mind and soul need to be cared for. The good news is that such terminal diseases can be managed with Palliative Care. Palliative care is the field of medicine that focuses solely on pain relief and other symptom management.

The main goal of palliative care is to improve the quality of life of patients plagued by terminal diseases. The care focuses on responding to distressing physical symptoms like pain , and also fosters  social, spiritual and emotional support – providing a holistic care to the person.  Palliative care understands pain and targets to provide pain relief to the suffering. There is a misconception that palliative care equates to end of life. Anyone who is terminally ill or facing years with debilitating symptoms of a chronic or progressive disease can avail of palliative care services since it focuses on providing pain relief.