Ladies and Gentlemen,
On behalf of the 11th Asia Pacific Hospice Conference (APHC) and Hospice Foundation of Taiwan (HFT),welcome to Taipei! How fast time has passed since our last APHC in Thailand. Thank you for coming!
This year’s APHC theme is “Transforming Palliative Care”; our goal is to evoke the transformation experiences of hospice care in the Asia Pacific region, so that we may become leaders and plan for future developments tailored to our specific culture and needs.
This is the second time that Taiwan is the host country of APHC; it is indeed a great privilege and affirmation that our effort is being recognized. It has been a transformation from points, lines, to planes; initiating within hospitals, walking into communities, and then working with families and care providers. Over these years, Taiwan’s medical system has extended hospice care from last stage cancer patients to today, non-malignant disease patients. It is an honor to share with you our experiences and reflections, it is a road that so many individuals, families, and professionals have walked and made better.
Last but not least, it is with a heavy heart that I must inform you, the death of our original co-chair of this year’s APHC and former Chairman of Hospice Foundation of Taiwan, Chairman Lin. He passed away this past January. APHC has always been his priority; he put in all efforts preparing for this year’s conference. It is with a heavy heart that I now accept Chairman Lin’s baton and will, within my best attempt, to honor his will.
APHC has its wealth of knowledge and from this, long term relationships created. On behalf of this year’s APHC, let me challenge you, to be challenged, excited and inspired. Please take advantage in the resources and exchange of ideas while you are here. Let us look forward to an informative and stimulating conference!
With warm regards,
Yuh-Cheng Yang
Professor Yuh-Cheng Yang, MD
Chairman of Hospice Foundation of Taiwan