University of Coimbra establishes new chair to boost palliative care

The University of Coimbra (UC) makes a renewed commitment to improving palliative care in Portugal through the creation of the Floriani Chair in Palliative Care. This project, which starts this month, is financed with 55 thousand euros by the Floriani Foundation, an Italian institution with a history of more than four decades dedicated to optimizing care and assistance for people in the terminal phase of illness.

The chair, which will last until February 2027, will be led by Bárbara Gomes, coordinating researcher at the UC Faculty of Medicine (FMUC) and the Center for Innovation in Biomedicine and Biotechnology (CIBB). The priority areas for the activities to be developed within the scope of this financing will be presented next Friday, the 22nd, at an event to take place in the FMUC Subunit 3 Auditorium, from 3:00 pm to 5:00 pm.

Bárbara Gomes highlights the importance of the new chair: “This initiative aims to support training, research and awareness activities in the area of ​​palliative care, with the aim of impacting not only health institutions in the Central region, but also across the country, through of training and scientific initiatives”.

During the three-year period, the chair’s team will promote various in-person and remote training activities, such as conferences, courses and seminars, aimed at professionals in primary health care, pediatrics, oncology and family support.

In the field of scientific research, the chair aims to boost the production of knowledge in this area in Portugal, including the creation of new research projects in collaboration with clinical services, the publication of scientific articles and the involvement of young doctors in the area of ​​palliative care.

Furthermore, the team plans to develop awareness campaigns to highlight the importance of palliative care and the challenges it faces, contributing to a more informed society about end-of-life support for patients, families and healthcare professionals. Public events are also planned to be organized to discuss this topic.

Bárbara Gomes highlights: “Palliative care is crucial to reduce the suffering of patients and their families. It is essential that healthcare professionals are prepared to provide support in this area.”

The official launch of the new chair will feature interventions from the Rector of the UC, Amílcar Falcão, the director of FMUC, Carlos Robalo Cordeiro, as well as representatives from the Floriani Foundation, Paolo Floriani and Mateo Crippa. The conversation “Why wait, what can we change now?” will feature the participation of Telma Vidinha, a nurse with personal experience in caring for family members with oncological disease, Alexandre Lourenço, president of the Board of Directors of the Local Health Unit of Coimbra, Margarida Ornelas, president of the Board of Directors of the Portuguese Institute of Oncology of Coimbra, and Catarina Pazes, president of the Portuguese Association of Palliative Care. The closing will be in charge of Rui Silva, president of the National Palliative Care Commission.

The chair will count on the collaboration of professionals such as Cândida Cancelinha, pediatrician and coordinator of the pediatric palliative care team at the Coimbra Local Health Unit, Carlos Seiça Cardoso, general and family medicine doctor, Judy Paulo, oncologist, and Mayra Delalibera, clinical psychologist, all from FMUC.