Celebrating National Palliative Care Week 2026

Bethesda Health Care marked National Palliative Care Week 2026 (17–23 May) by celebrating the compassionate, person-centred care provided to patients and families across its specialist palliative care services.

This year’s theme, Getting to the heart of it: Big Questions. Real Answers., highlighted the importance of open conversations about palliative care and the support available to people living with life-limiting illness.

As one of Western Australia’s leading specialist palliative care providers, Bethesda hosted a range of activities throughout the week to raise awareness, encourage discussion and celebrate the work of its teams.

Events included a community forum and afternoon tea hosted by Sarah Day in the hospital café, where staff and visitors gathered to explore some of the “big questions” surrounding palliative care in an informal setting.

Bethesda also launched a new podcast series, What I am Dying to Know, featuring members of the palliative care team discussing how palliative care works and addressing common questions and misconceptions.

The week’s activities also included a GP education event led by Dr Paula Mofatt, focused on palliative care in general practice, while several Bethesda staff attended the Palliative Care WA breakfast held at Kings Park.

The organisation also celebrated the recent success of MPaCCS Clinical Nurse Tho Swotwa, who won the Excellence in Residential Care Award at the WA Nursing & Midwifery Excellence Awards.

Finally, we celebrated with gifts and treats for our wonderful nurses internally, to show them how much they are appreciated.