World Day of the Sick

The Pope Benedict XVI has prepared a message to celebrate the World Day of the Sick (January 7) in which he supports the work of palliative care workers and calls for further promotion and development of palliative care throughout the world.

The message is available in English, Spanish and Italian in the Vatican website at: http://www.vatican.va/holy_father/benedict_xvi/messages/sick/index_en.htm
Click on XV The World Day of the Sick 2007.

The message is very nice but it is also of great importance that a spiritual leader such as the Pope is bringing attention to palliative care in a formal message. Hopefully world spiritual leaders of other religions around the world will follow this example.

Liliana De Lima
IAHPC Executive Director