Portlaoise hospital marks Palliative Care Week with heartwarming initiatives
Midlands Regional Hospital Portlaoise (MRH Portlaoise) celebrates Palliative Care Week 2026 with new initiatives supporting patients and families
MRH Portlaoise marked Palliative Care Week 2026 through a series of awareness and educational initiatives aimed at increasing understanding of palliative care and the supports available to patients and families.
Palliative Care Week is a campaign dedicated to raising public awareness and increasing understanding of palliative care and its benefits.
As part of this year’s campaign, the hospital hosted an information stand for staff and members of the public, as well as a lecture exploring the role of palliative care in supporting people living with life limiting illnesses.
Dr Frances O’Mahony, Palliative Medicine Consultant, said: “The theme of Palliative Care Week 2026, 'It's Not What You Think', encourages people to challenge common misconceptions about palliative care. Many people associate palliative care solely with the last days of life, when in fact it can provide significant support much earlier in a person's illness.
“Palliative care is about providing care that is tailored to meet the individual needs of a person, their family and those important to them. It focuses on helping people live as well as possible for as long as possible by addressing their physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs. Through our awareness events and staff education sessions, we hoped to highlight the positive impact palliative care can have on quality of life for individuals and their families.”
This week, the hospital also launched the Hearts Initiative, which hopes to bring comfort to bereaved families by giving them a keepsake to keep the deceased person close to the family.
Zara Dagg, End of Life Care Coordinator, said: “This project aims to offer all bereaved families crochet or knitted hearts when their loved ones are dying. These hearts are later swapped and bereaved families can bring the heart home as a way of keeping their loved one’s heart close to them. The family’s heart remains with the deceased person. It is a symbol of the continuing bond they have with their loved one following death. We are so grateful to all who have kindly donated these beautiful and meaningful hearts.”
The End of Life Care committee also launched a ‘Keepsake Print’, whereby families can avail of laminated wallet sized cards with a fingerprint of their loved one on one side and a poem with the Hospice Friendly Hospital symbol on the other.
Jackie Farrington, Clinical Nurse Specialist in Palliative Care, said: “This initiative offers bereaved families a sentimental keepsake with a fingerprint of their loved one. It is a physical and emotional connection to a loved one to keep close by.”
Contemplating the new initiatives, Olivia Lafferty, Director of Nursing and Committee Chair, said: “The introduction of these initiatives reflects our commitment to ensuring, that end of life care extends beyond clinical needs, embracing dignity, compassion, connection and meaningful memories. Together through small but meaningful interventions, we can make a lasting difference to patients and families at one of the most significant times in their lives.”