An assembly of diverse professionals at the Southern Public Hospital committed to providing continuous support to patients afflicted with incurable ailments, resulting in complications and acute suffering, aimed at assuaging their distress during their final months. This is the objective set forth by palliativostfsur, a recent initiative that has garnered an impressive 1,500 endorsements in a mere 15 days.
Under the banner “We Deserve Better”, the movement is steadily gaining momentum on various social media platforms. The campaign, spearheaded by Vanesa Díaz Hernández, a resident of Cabo Blanco who directly experienced the absence of such a service at a hospital situated just a few kilometers from her residence. This prompted her to transport her father, diagnosed with an incurable illness in May 2023, to Ofra Hospital in Santa Cruz for adequate treatment.
As conveyed by Vanesa herself to this publication, her routine involved multiple trips to the Tenerife capital, alternated with visits to the emergency ward and consultations with the family physician in order to procure specific treatments to alleviate her father’s suffering caused by the progression of the disease during his final days.
In addition to the overwhelming social support on the web and social media, there have been several institutional endeavors backing this civilian campaign. The initial show of support came from Common deputy, Rafael Yanes, who, subsequent to meeting with Vanesa and group member Carlos Díaz on Monday, underscored the indispensable necessity of a Palliative Care Unit in the South.
Expressing her inability to articulate the harrowing ordeal her family underwent, the leading advocate of the campaign remains optimistic that the cause she champions will sensitize public officials. “I find it inconceivable that those vested with the political authority to extend this service to the southern region of the Tenerife island have had to rely on it, nor do I wish for it. Despite the dedication of the unit’s professional staff in caring for the sick, their efforts are inadequate in terms of both manner and timeliness,” Vanesa conveys on the palliativotfsur website.
