Palliative Care is a right, not a privilege – BELhospice marks the European day of palliative care in Serbia

BELhospice, the centre for palliative care, is marking the European Day of Palliative Care with a strong message: palliative care must be accessible to everyone, at any time, regardless of diagnosis, age, economic status, or place of residence.

The European Day of Palliative Care was established to highlight the importance of accessible, timely, and high-quality support for people facing serious and incurable illnesses, as well as for their family members. Palliative care encompasses medical, psychological, and social support, and its goal is not only care at the end of life, but also to ensure a dignified and meaningful quality of life.

“Palliative care is not just end-of-life care. It is a holistic approach that supports people with incurable illnesses at all stages of the disease, providing medical, psychological, social, and spiritual support,” said Aleksandra Marjanović, Executive Director of the BELhospice centre. “Despite clear evidence of the high demand for this type of care, access to palliative services across Europe remains unequal, and healthcare professionals and other experts often lack proper training and sufficient time for palliative patients.”

“That is why we must continue to speak up, share stories, and raise awareness. We at BELhospice invite everyone — citizens, healthcare and social workers, media, and policymakers — to join us in advocating for systemic change. Through education, advocacy, and collective action, we can ensure that dignified care becomes a universal right.”

For over 20 years, BELhospice has been committed to changing this reality. Since its founding in 2004, BELhospice has provided free support to more than 5,000 patients and their families through a multidisciplinary team of doctors, nurses, psychologists, and social workers. In addition to hands-on care, BELhospice implements educational programs for medical professionals and actively works to raise awareness about the importance of palliative care in Serbia.