The mobilization led by Vanesa Díaz, a resident of Cabo Blanco in Arona, to demand the establishment of a Palliative Care Unit in the south of Tenerife, as reported by DIARIO DE AVISOS last Wednesday, continues to gain momentum in the region.
Yesterday, the website paliativostfsur.es, which was recently launched, garnered over 1,000 signatures, and meetings with community groups and institutional representatives are on the horizon for Vanesa as a result of this movement. This initiative, aiming to ensure that individuals with severe illnesses receive pain relief in close proximity to their residences or even at home, gained traction after being featured in the newspaper earlier this week. A meeting with the Common Deputy next Monday is the most immediate development on Vanesa’s agenda.
Vanesa expressed immense gratitude towards the outpouring of support from the community, which was evident through the website and across social media. The slogan “Nosomosdesegunda,” meaning “We are not second,” has resonated with the people of the South, galvanizing them to demand enhancements in the healthcare sector. Several of her neighbors have shared stories of their relatives undergoing similar circumstances to what she went through.
After personally experiencing the care her father received in the final months of his life, Vanesa, a 44-year-old psychologist, made it her mission to advocate for a Palliative Care Unit at the Hospital del Sur and “equitable healthcare.” Her father, diagnosed with a terminal illness just four months before his passing on September 30, 2023, relied on palliative care provided at the Thorax Hospital in the capital of Tenerife to alleviate his pain. The extensive travel from Cabo Blanco to Santa Cruz in addition to his fragile health took a toll on Andrés Díaz and his family, compelling Vanesa to prevent similar ordeals for other patients in the region.
Reflecting on her own experiences, Vanesa recalled, “We would sometimes wait up to three weeks between appointments at the Thorax Hospital, but the disease progressed in a way that demanded treatment adjustments, leading to frequent visits to the Emergency Room for immediate care.”
Vanesa’s efforts have garnered the attention of the Spanish Society of Palliative Care, which has endorsed her cause and informed her about the pursuit of a national palliative care legislation. Furthermore, she has been invited to participate in a conference scheduled for April.
The Pro Hospital Público Platform Extends Full Backing to the Advocacy
Last Wednesday, Vanesa Díaz reached out to the Pro Hospital Public Platform of Southern Tenerife, and the platform’s spokesperson, Jordi Esplugas, conveyed their unwavering support for her cause. This citizen group has been advocating for a hospital facility that caters to the populace’s needs since 1996. The platform assured Vanesa and her group that they will strive to include the Palliative Care Unit in the new Functional Plan, a document long awaited and soon to be presented by the Ministry of Health, outlining the services offered at the Public Hospital of the South upon the completion of its 45-million-euro expansion works.
The platform is optimistic that the expansion, doubling the surface area of the El Mojón infrastructure, will commence this year. Esplugas stated, “It’s commendable to witness an increasing number of individuals and groups drawing attention to the extensive infrastructure deficiencies in the south and southwest, with the Palliative Care Unit being a priority among them.” The Pro Hospital Platform anticipates positive developments in the near future.
