Palliative care in Chile- an interview with a paediatric oncologist

An interview with Natalie Rodriguez, a paediatric oncologist trained in palliative care who works at the Haematology and Oncology Unit of the Hospital de Niños Roberto del Rio in Santiago, Chile. Natalie's job title is Coordinator of Pain Relief and Palliative Care Programme, a position she has held since 2003.

SB: Can you describe your work in children's palliative care?

NR: Since we started developing CPC in 2003, my work is divided among the care of children with oncology diseases receiving chemotherapy and the care for children and their families who require palliative care when cure is no longer possible. I work with a team composed of a nurse, paramedic technician, a pharmaceutical chemist and a psychologist. We have served approximately 110 households. Half of them received the direct attention of our team and the other half, as they return to their own home towns, our group coordinates their care with local health teams, trains caregivers in managing symptoms and medications at home.

Also between 2003 and 2010 I was the coordinator of this programme for the whole country, because in every paediatric cancer centre network of public hospitals in Chile there is a palliative care unit responsible for caring children with advanced cancer disease. This programme has served nearly 500 children since its inception, assisting more than 50% of our patients to die at home.

SB: What led you to choose this field of care?

Read the full interview in ehospice here.