The goal of palliative care is to improve quality of life for both the person AND their family. It is comfort care and supportive care. This care can be provided by a multi-disciplinary team consisting of oncologists, nurses, physiotherapists, dieticians and counsellors who work together with the primary care palliative care doctor to provide additional support. This care can be given in the hospital, at a hospice or in the comfort of the patient’s home.

WHO defines palliative care as an approach that improves the quality of life of patients and their families facing the problem associated with life-threatening illness, through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification and impeccable assessment and treatment of pain and other problems; physical, psycho-social and spiritual.

“We provide holistic care for our patients,” explains Dr Chang, the medical director of AsPacc. “First is the physical care, which is treating pain and symptoms control such as breathing difficulties, confusion, vomiting, nausea and so on. Without controlling the pain, it will be difficult to address the other needs of the patient. Next, we offer emotional care. Terminally ill patients go through a rollercoaster of emotions – denial, hopelessness, uncertainty, anger and so on.

Diagnosed with polio when she was one, Dr Felicia Chang's nerves were damaged by the virus, which impacted the ability of her right leg to grow. Overcoming great self-loathing and bitterness brought on by dealing with her condition, Dr Felicia is now a fun-loving, palliative doctor who has devoted her life to helping terminally ill patients live out their final days in comfort, and to providing the right support to the caregivers. She joins us to share her story

BFM podcast featuring Dr Felicia and her work involving palliative care

An article in the Star about Dr Felicia's dedication and compassion in reaching out to those in need for palliative care. For her work, she was awarded winner of the Humanitarian & Voluntary Malaysian Award by Junior Chamber International Malaysia

Dr Felicia belongs to that special group of doctors whose sole responsibility is to help cancer patients live the last days of their life in comfort, and to die with dignity. Her role is to alleviate the physical pain, emotional distress and spiritual needs of the dying

In this Women Weekly interview, Dr Felicia explains what palliative care is really about and the challenges from both patients and their family members