APHC 2015 - Asia Pacific Hospice Conference 2015

Dear Friends
We take immense pleasure in welcoming you to join us at the Asia Pacific Hospice Conference 2015 to be held in Taipei, Taiwan from 30 April to 3 May 2015. This conference of the Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) is the focal point which brings together workers, supporters and friends of hospice and palliative care in the Asia Pacific every two years. This is the place where news is shared, new knowledge disseminated, new developments celebrated, new friendships made and old friendships renewed.
This time around, Hospice Foundation of Taiwan has chosen the theme of “Transforming Palliative Care”, reflecting the many changes which our relatively new field of endeavour are undergoing. In so many countries in our region, hospice and palliative care is relatively new, with services just starting or attempting to start. Yet even in those countries where hospice and palliative care has been developing for the past 25 to 30 years, the transition from fringe to mainstream within the health system continues. Much needs to be done to prepare the workforce with the most up-to-date knowledge in the field and to produce new knowledge relevant to local circumstances.
The Hospice Foundation of Taiwan and APHN tries to link up people and sectors, particularly those who live and work in far-flung places, where finding like-minded people to share one’s experiences and problems may not be easy. In 2013 at the Asia Pacific Hospice Conference in Bangkok, we formed two special interest groups (SIGs), one to link people interested in palliative care for children, and one for the Pacific Islands where palliative care is just starting. This time, we hope to forge more links with colleagues in China where much has been happening, but as yet little linked to the rest of the world.
These are exciting days for hospice palliative care in our region. So come and join us in Taiwan at the APHC 2015. We look forward to your enrichment with your presence!
With warmest regards
Co-chairs of APHC
Dr. Chien-Teh Lin
Chairman
Hospice Foundation of Taiwan
Associate Professor Cynthia Goh
Chairman
Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network