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Developing Hospices in St. Petersburg, Russia and the former Soviet Union.
In 1991 the Rotary Clubs of Colchester, UK and the provisional Rotary Club of St. Petersburg Neva entered an agreement whereby they undertook jointly to support the development of the first hospice in Russia following the end of the Bolshevik rule in 1989. The development of hospices in terms of numbers has followed numbers of Rotary Clubs in the Russian Federation. There are now believed to be about 60 hospices or hospice units in hospitals in the Russian Federation and the number is growing.
The first Hospice was at Lachta in St. Petersburg. Members of the Rotary Club of Colchester heard about the development and following exchange visits with the Rotarians from the Neva Club, a joint project was set up whereby medicines and medical equipment were collected in UK and shipped to St. Petersburg. Over the years additional support was given by setting up a hospice shop in St. Petersburg. The emphasis now is on provision of training to the doctors and nurses working in the hospice and palliative care movement.
In 2005 there are now eight hospices in the City. Rotarian Michael Siggs is Chairman of the St. Petersburg Healthcare Trust visited Hospice number 3 in February 2005 to help celebrate the 10th anniversary of the establishment of that hospice. The St. Petersburg Healthcare Trust was set up by Rotarians in Colchester and St. Petersburg to build on the work started by the Rotary Clubs. At a recent Board meeting the area of benefit of the Trust was extended to cover the whole of the Russian Federation and the former Soviet Union. This enlargement of remit permits the Charity to spend funds raised on the promotion of education and training of those Russians working in the hospice and palliative care movement across this huge continent.
Working in the hospice movement has highlighted other issues such as help to the bereaved children whose mothers or fathers may have died in the hospice. A lay order of Sisters of Mercy has been born at Lachta Hospice and the work of this order in supporting bereaved children and stateless children is quite remarkable. Michael Siggs says " Mother Russia is stirring herself through the work of doctors, nurses and carers working in hospices to care for many people whose needs were for so long ignored by the State. There are so many tragedies that are happening on a day to day basis. We in our small way are able to give moral and other support in providing education and training for the staff in hospices. The sociological imperatives of the hospice and palliative care movement are difficult for the Authorities to ignore"
The website of the Trust can be found at www.stpetersburg-healthcare-trust.org
