Filenews 28 November 2024 - by Dora Christodoulou
The institutionalized and organized philanthropy, as well as the voluntary initiative that often fills gaps in the welfare state, have another important effect for the benefit of a large portion of our fellow human beings who have been struck by serious diseases. This time, a new and fully equipped palliative care unit will operate from the beginning of 2025 in Tala, Paphos. This is the Hospice that has been created for years by mainly British permanent residents of Pafos for the care of cancer patients and which ceased its operation a few years ago when it had to leave a private hospital in Paphos in which it operated.
Today, thanks mainly to the charity and generous donation of a British couple living in Tala, this relief unit is ready to reactivate in the Pafos district. The couple donated their residence in an area of Tala when they moved to another in order to use it for the permanent housing of Hospice. The donations and charities of the friends of this organization also resulted in the collection of a significant amount of money that allowed the conversion of the residence into a medical and nursing space, as well as its complete equipment.
The project of converting the house into the new headquarters of the Pafos Hospice Palliative Care Unit was undertaken by architect Yiannis Koutsolambros, who speaking to "F" stressed that now the construction part of the building facilities is essentially completed.
After a long time and efforts, he stresses, all the necessary permits have been secured from the state services and we are currently in the final stage of completing the works. The final inspection by the Ministry of Health remains, he said, so that the green light is given for the reopening of the unit from the beginning of 2025.
The residence of the British donors, Mr. Koutsolambros stressed, underwent all the necessary modifications to become a modern and integrated center for the provision of care to our suffering fellow human beings. He particularly emphasizes the fact that all the work, as well as the equipment of the unit, were done by the private and voluntary initiative, since the friends of Hospice, who have been organized for years in this effort, have managed to secure through donations a very significant financial fund that will now be used for the complete equipment of the unit.
It is a non-profit institution for the care of patients, the like of which we are not used to, points out Yiannis Koutsolambros. In Paphos, Friend's Hospice was founded about 20 years ago, by a group of foreign Paphians, mainly from the United Kingdom. Without charging a cent, it has treated some 2000 patients in the final stages of their illness with an overwhelming 70% being native Cypriots.
Unfortunately, he lost his clinic in Paphos and had to stop his activities. However, the concession of the old spacious mansion of a British couple who live in the area and which is located in the location Stefanie in Tala, allowed its transfer and the coverage of its needs.
In the building, says the well-known architect, only internal changes were made as demanded by the Ministry of Health. So is the philosophy of the project. It is not a hospital, nor a clinic, nor a medical center, he clarifies. It has no outpatient clinics and sick visitors, no ambulances and hearses coming and going. It has no radioisotopes, radiation and treatments. After all, science has thrown its hands up for these people. It is a six-room residence where the days of sufferers are beautified and sweetened, he observes.
All involved worked on a voluntary basis, says Yiannis Koutsolambros. We handled the application process at all stages of the last three years together with builders, contractors, suppliers of materials and technology who were eager to offer their help in transforming the building, he concluded.
