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A multimillion-rand grant will assist UFS to develop palliative care structures and services in FS

09 October 2023 | Story André Damons | Photo André Damons

A multimillion-rand grant will assist the Department of Oncology at the University of the Free State (UFS) to initiate the implementation of palliative care services in the Free State province and help to improve the quality of life of patients and their families living with a life-threatening disease.

The grant from the Bristol Myers Squibb Foundation (BMSF) has already improved the quality of life for patients living with advanced progressive life-threatening diseases (cancer, renal failure, heart failure, AIDS, lung disease) as well as for their families. Prof Alicia Sherriff, head of the UFS Department of Oncology, and Dr Dalene van Jaarsveld, Lecturer and Medical Specialist in the same department, are project leaders for the grant that UFS administers. The grant is for a period three years.

According to Dr Van Jaarsveld, they have also planned for a 10-bed inpatient facility at the Universitas Academic Complex that will be able to accommodate a family member of patients receiving care in preparation for their down referral for home-based care. This unit will also be used as a training facility for all undergraduate health-care students. The grant will provide staff for a limited period to assist the Free State Department of Health (FSDOF) in preparing to absorb the services. They are currently awaiting commitment from the FSDOH to start with renovation of this unit.

Situation in the Free State

Palliative care, explains Dr Van Jaarsveld, provides a service that improves the quality of life of a patient, and his/her family, diagnosed with a life-limited disease. “It is not only for patients who are terminally ill and should ideally be implemented much earlier in the patient's disease journey. Palliative care is a basic human right,” she says.

“A National Policy Framework and strategy on the implementation on palliative care for South Africa for 2012-2022 was published by National Department of Health. We recognised in 2019 that there was no implementation initiated in the Free State, and no budget allocated to the implementation of this critical service.

“Many patients in the province live with these advanced progressive diseases and experience a very poor quality of life that translates into a poor quality of death with a high symptom-burden and suffering during their last days. Similarly, the family will suffer immensely,” says Dr Van Jaarsveld.

Prof Sherriff says they applied for this international grant to assist with the startup of these structures while the FSDOH is given the opportunity to setup the necessary budget to ensure long-term sustainability of this human right as a health-care service.

In the Free State about 16,000 patients die every year with a high need for palliative care. Dr Van Jaarsveld says of the 15 functioning hospices in 2014 and home-based carers that were offering hospice care in most of the sub-districts in the Free State, there are only four registered hospices remaining. Of these only one has four beds where patients can be admitted. The others provide limited care to a very small area, leaving most of the districts in the Free State without any form of palliative care and support. Most of the other provinces have different levels of palliative-care services available. The grant provides funds to initiate the implementation of this service in the Free State.

They are working closely with the FSDOH on a provincial implementation plan that will eventually, once the grant has ended, be taken forward by the province, says Dr Van Jaarsveld.

Impact of the grant

Through the grant a project manager, professional nurse and administrative support are employed as part of a core team at Universitas Academic Hospital with a social worker. They have received training in palliative care supported by the grant. This team, together with Dr van Jaarsveld, provides a consultation service at the Universitas Academic Hospital Complex.

“Nearly 700 patients have been referred for palliative care in the past year and have therefore benefited (with their families) from the grant. Another two professional nurses have been employed via the grant as hub managers for the Thabo Mofutsanyane and Lejweleputswa districts. Both are currently doing training in palliative care. Once a patient is seen by the team, a palliative care plan is developed, family meetings are held, and a discharge care plan set in place.

“To ensure continuity of care, the patients are handed over to one of the nurses managing the districts where the patients are from for further follow-up and support. This is sadly not possible in all districts,” says Dr Van Jaarsveld.

With the grant, the palliative care team, in close collaboration with Hospice Bloemfontein, have started with accredited palliative care training for nurses and other health professionals working for the FSDOH in all districts of the province. This will help with down-referral pathways and support for patients from districts without a dedicated palliative care nurse.

UFS and Vision 130

Dr Claire Armour Barrett, Head: Research and Development in the School of Clinical Medicine at UFS says this project is critically aligned with the second key tenet of the UFS Vision 130, maximum societal impact with sustainable relationships. Although this project is still in its early phase, almost 700 patients and as many as 2100 family members have been positively affected by this work.

“We believe that we are bringing the UFS closer to the theme of the World Hospice and Palliative Care Day for 2023, Compassionate Communities: Together for Palliative Care. We are actively increasing awareness in communities, advocating for patients and families in need not only through service delivery, but also by education and collaboration. We are stronger together.”

World Hospice and Palliative Care Day is celebrated every year on 14 October.

News Archive

The Kovsie woman hockey team back in the A Section for 2010.

2009-07-06

The Kovsie woman hockey team back in the A Section for 2010.

The University of the Free State (UFS) was this year the host of the University Sport South Africa (USSA) hockey tournament.

More than 660 hockey players from 17 tertiary institutions met in Bloemfontein to participate in the USSA Hockey tournament. After the National Senior Interprovincial hockey tournaments, the USSA tournament is seen as the second most important hockey tournament in South Africa. With the 34 teams that participated in the tournament on the Kovsie astro’s, it was the biggest hockey tournament in the country.

Finals Day (Day 5)

Double delight for Maties hockey

3 July 2009

JONATHAN COOK
at USSA Hockey Week in Bloemfontein

THE University Sport South Africa Hockey Week finals saw the University of Stellenbosch take the men's and women's titles, both against University of Johannesburg (UJ), at a chilly University of The Free State in Bloemfontein Friday.
There was also joy and disappointment for the promoted and relegated teams.
Hosts UFS (Kovsies) saw their men relegated back to the B Section (they had been promoted the year before at the USSA Hockey Week at North West University Pukke in Potchefstroom) and Wits return to the top level having won the B Section after their demotion last year.
Women's B Section winners in Bloemfontein Friday were Kovsies, the Free State girls now back in the A Section for 2010 after their demotion last year, while last year's promoted B Section side, University of KZN, go back to the second rung of SA university hockey after finishing last in the A Section in 2009.
Maties' men won a thrilling A Section final on a golden goal by captain Pierre de Voux after UJ had ended full-time 1-1 with the Stellenbosch men.
The women's final saw Maties run away to a 4-1 victory in the end as they finished the final in an impressive manner.
The men's and women's tournament teams, chosen under the direction of selection convenors Braam van Wyk (women) and Cheslyn Gie (men), were announced at the conclusion of the women's final at this superb hockey complex of which Kovsies have every reason to be proud.

RESULTS

Men's A Section: (1/2) University of Johannesburg 1 Maties 1 (Maties won on golden goal); (3/4) Tukkies 2 UKZN 2 (Tuks 5-4 penalty strokes); (5/6) UCT 1 NMMU 0; (7/8) Pukke 6 Kovsies 2.

Women's A Section: (1/2) Maties 4 University Johannesburg 1; (3/4) Pukke 1 Tukkies 1 (Pukke 4-2 penalty strokes); (5/6) NMMU 2 UCT 0; (7/8) Wits 2 UKZN 1.

Men's B Section: (1/2) Wits 2 Rhodes 2 (Wits won on golden goal); (3/4) Tukkies B 5 Central U of Tech 1; (5/6) Kovsies B 1 Cape Pens U of Tech 1 (Kovsies won 4-3 penalty strokes).

Other: Pukke B 2 Limpopo 0.

Women's B Section: (1/2) Kovsies 1 Rhodes 1 (Kovsies 4-3 penalty strokes); (3/4) Vaal U of Tech 3 Tukkies B 1.

Other: Central U of Tech 6 Limpopo 0, Pukke B 6 Cape Pens U of Tech 0.

2009 USSA HOCKEY TOURNAMENT TEAMS

Men: (Please note, for the men's team, SA players selected for Africa Cup in Ghana were not considered, while players were only considered who played 3 or more matches at USSA Hockey Week, as this is a Tournament team).

2009 USSA Men's Tournament Team

Goalkeepers: Jacques le Roux (Maties), Ben Mbana (Tukkies).

Defenders: Peter Bailey (NMMU), Oliver Whiteley (UJ), Kyle Rhodes (Tuks), Francois Pretorius (Tuks), David Wilson (Maties).

Links: Jonty Robinson (Tuks), Owen Mvimbi (UJ), Warren Grobler (Maties), Devon van der Merwe (UKZN), Brendon van Zyl (Tuks).

Forwards: Pierre de Voux (Maties), Geowynne Gamiet (NMMU), Brandon Panther (UJ), Duzo Khanyile (UKZN), Tebogo Lerole (UJ), Brett Pampara (Tuks).

2009 USSA Women's Tournament Team

Goalkeepers: Hanlie Hattingh (Maties), Camille Jasson (UJ).

Defenders: Cindy Brown (Maties), Mapule Mokoena (UJ), Lisa Deetlefs (UJ), Kim Hubach (Tuks), Dirkie Chamberlain (Tuks).

Midfielders: Vida Ryan (Maties), Farah Fredericks (Maties), Lesle-Ann George (Pukke), Loreen Irvine (Pukke), Ncedisa Magwentshu (Wits), Kathleen Taylor (Maties), Lenise Marais (Maties).

Forwards: Vidette Ryan (Maties), Roxy Turner (UJ), Shelley Russell (Maties), Sulette Damons (Pukke).

Umpire grading: Erik Etsebeth (SA 2).

Day 4: Maties and UJ in University Sport men's and women's hockey finals

2 July 2009

JONATHAN COOK
at USSA Hockey Week in Bloemfontein

THE impressive University of The Free State synthetic turf hockey pitches saw some thrilling clashes Thursday, as the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Hockey Week in Bloemfontein entered its penultimate day and with it, the cross-pool playoffs.

The playoffs determine who will play in Friday's men's and women's finals, and in the men's A Section it's going to be the University of Johannesburg (UJ) against the University of Stellenbosch (Maties) at 4.30 pm, while the women's A Section finals will also see UJ tackling Maties (6 pm).

Last year's men's winners in Potchefstroom, University of Pretoria (Tukkies), went down 4-2 to Maties (third in 2008) in a penalty stroke shootout after the score read 0-0 at full-time, this after 2008 finalists UJ beat fifth-placed team last year, the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN), 4-0 in the first semi-final.

The first women's semi-final saw UJ, fourth last year, beat the third-placed team in 2008, North West University (Pukke), 3-1, while the late game Thursday for the second berth in the final was won 2-0 by defending champions Maties against last year's finalists Tukkies.

The B Section finals - and the four teams hoping that victory Friday will earn them promotion to the A Section - are the following:
Men: Wits University versus Rhodes University (B field 4 pm).
Women: University of The Free State (Kovsies) versus Rhodes (B Field 2.30 pm).

RESULTS

Men's A Section (playing for places 1-4): University of Johannesburg (UJ) (2) 4 (Owen Mvimbi, Brandon Panther, Olly Whitely, Miguel da Graca) UKZN 0; Maties 0 Tukkies 0 (Maties won penalty stroke shootout 4-2).

(5-8): Nelson Mandela Metro University (NMMU) (3) 6 (Geowynne Gamiet 3, Giovanni Joseph 2, Satch Reddy, Peter Bailey) Kovsies (Free State) (1) 1 (Jaco Fourie); UCT (1) 2 (Mike Heyink, Sean Fielding) Pukke (North West) (1) 2 (Matt Fairweather 2) UCT won penalty stroke shootout 9-8.

Women's A Section (playing for places 1-4): UJ (2) 3 (Pietie Coetzee 2, Lisa Deetlefs) Pukke (1) 1 (Sulette Damons); Maties (0) 2 (Kathleen Taylor, Cindy Brown) Tukkies 0.

(5-8): UCT (1) 3 (Imogen Holland 2, Jessica Kew); UKZN (0) 1 (Nosipho Dladla); NMMU (0) 1 (Jessie Heatley) Wits 0.

Men's B Section (playing for places 1-4): Wits 6 Tukkies B 1; Rhodes 5 Central U of Tech 1.

Other: Kovsies B (5) University of Namibia 4; Vaal U of Tech 2 University of Limpopo (Turfloop) 0; North Cape Urban FET 4 Cape Pens U of Tech 4 (CPUT won penalty stroke shootout 4-1).

Women's B Section (playing for places 1-4): Rhodes 0 Vaal U of Tech 0 (Rhodes 6-5 on penalty stroke shootout); Kovsies 1 Tukkies B 1 (Kovsies won 4-2 penalty strokes).

Other: Cape Pens U of Tech 1 Fort Hare 1; Central U of Tech 2 Cape Pens U of Tech 2; Pukke B 8 University of Limpopo (Turfloop) 0.

Usual Suspects heading for USSA Hockey Week finals

30 June 2009

JONATHAN COOK
at USSA Hockey Week in Bloemfontein

THE University of Pretoria's Tukkies men and the Maties girls of Stellenbosch look to be set on defending their University Sport South Africa (USSA) hockey titles with success judging by the happenings on day two of the annual tournament at a crisp University of The Free State (Kovsies) in Bloemfontein Tuesday night.
This 34-team tournament is the biggest in the country after the Masters IPT.
In the top-tier Men's A Section, last year's winners the University of Pretoria (Tukkies) enjoyed a stunning 5-0 victory over University of Cape Town (UCT), who were the late-fightback 3-2 winners over UKZN on Monday.
After 38 minutes Tukkies were one goal to the good via the stick of Mark Holliday, but in the next 19 minutes mayhem broke out as coach Dave Viney's men from Pretoria pumped four goals past UCT. Holliday grabbed another goal from field play, with Nic Gonsalves and Michael Sykes joining the Pretoria boys' party, and Kyle Rhodes slamming in a penalty corner for good measure.
Last year's men's finalists the University of Johannesburg gained a crucial 2-0 victory against Stellenbosch in a battle of wits that saw SA U21 head coach Kurt Cerfontyne (Maties) and his assistant at the recent Junior World Cup, Garreth Ewing, in different corners this time round.
UJ went 1-0 up via a Dean Symons action goal in the 22nd minute – and the rattled Maties then had two players, David Wilson (26th) and Murray Clarke (28th) sent to the sin bin. A Miguel da Graca goal from a penalty corner made the game safe for UJ.
It looks like we are going to see another Battle of Gauteng among the men – Tukkies against UJ – in this year's men's USSA Hockey Week final.
And last season's talented SA U18 hockey striker Symons - alongside his equally talented national U18 team-mate and current UJ strike partner Marc le Sueur – could have a major say should that final come to pass at 7.30 pm on Friday..
In the women's A Section, the 2008 winners in Potchefstroom, Maties, were far too good for UJ, overwhelming the Johannesburg team in the second half.
Although they could only get one more goal after the interval through Spar SA striker Vida Ryan to add to Cindy Brown's first-half brace, Maties could have scored a good few more. Louise Coertzen scored UJ's goal that made the first-half-score read 2-1 to Maties.
However, UJ still have a chance to get to Friday's 6 pm final should they (likely) finish second to Maties in Pool A and qualify to tackle the Pool B winners in the semi-finals at 4.30 pm Thursday.
Last year's women's finalists, Tukkies, met North West and the score was 1-1 at the end after the Pretoria team had led 1-0 at half-time through Dirkie Chamberlain. Chantelle Bekker replied for Pukke.
In the B Section, host university Free State's ambitious women (Kovsies) beat University of Fort Hare 7-0.

RESULTS

Men – A Section: Tukkies (1) 5 (Mark Holliday 2, Nic Gonsalves, Kyle Rhodes, Michael Sykes) UCT 0; U of Johannesburg (1) 2 (Dean Symons, Miguel da Graca) Maties 0; UKZN (2) 3 (Duzo Khanyile, Karl Oftebro, Sihle Ntuli) Kovsies (1) 1 (Paul Jordaan); Nelson Mandela Metro U (0) 2 (Nathan Kops, Wesley Wittstock) North West (1) 1 (Matt Fairweather).

Women – A Section: Wits (2) 3 (Kirsten du Toit, Robyn Taylor, Robyn Johnson) UKZN (0) 1 (Nosipho Dladla); Maties (2) 3 (Cindy Brown 2, Vida Ryan) UJ (1) 1 (Louise Coertzen); North West (0) 1 (Chantelle Bekker) Tukkies (1) 1 (Dirkie Chamberlain); UCT (1) 2 (Deidre Potgieter, Keren Robertson) Nelson Mandela Metro U (0) 1 (Jocelyn Coombs).

Men – B Section: North Cape Urban FET 4 Vaal U of Tech 1; Tukkies B 5 Limpopo Turfloop 1; Vaal U of Tech 1 Pukke B 0; Wits 5 Kovsies B 2; Central U of Tech 2 N Cape Urban FET 1; U of Namibia 3 Cape Pens U of Tech 0; Rhodes 4 Tukkies B 2; Central U of Tech 2 Kovsies B 1; Wits 10 Pukke B 1.

Women – B Section: Rhodes 5 Pukke B 0; Tukkies B 5 Cape Pens U of Tech 0; Kovsies 7 Fort Hare 0; Pukke B 4 Central U of Tech 0; Vaal U of Tech 8 Limpopo Turfloop 0; Kovsies 7 Central U of Tech 0.

Cold weather doesn't deter hot hockey at Kovsies
Varsities hockey week on fire

JONATHAN COOK
at USSA Hockey Week in Bloemfontein

Despite the cold weather, there was much to warm the cockles of one's heart on day one of the University Sport South Africa (USSA) Hockey Week at University of the Free State (Kovsies) in Bloemfontein Monday.
In the Men's A Section (the first division), the fancied University of Pretoria (Tuks) beat hosts Free State Varsity (Kovsies) 4-0 after leading by two goals at half-time. All the Tuks goals were field goals with the scorers being Jonty Robinson, captain Brendan van Zyl, Simon O'Callaghan and Malcolm Ratz.
The University of Johannesburg clash with Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University (NMMU of Port Elizabeth) went down to the wire, UJ eventually prevailing 2-1.
After a goalless first half, UJ's Tebogo Lerole opened proceedings from a penalty corner and Joezay Kops equalised for NMMU with 12 minutes to go. The winner came after the final hooter had sounded, umpire Erik Etsebeth correctly awarding a penalty corner to UJ, which meant the set-piece had to be concluded, and Brandon Panther netted a great deflection goal for the winner.
The Maties men versus Pukke match saw the Potch boys start shakily. The Stellenbosch side under SA U21 head coach Kurt Cerfontyne were 3-0 up before the Pukke got back into the game. Although it was fairly even from this point, the Pukke caught fire too late in order to catch the Maties cold.
On a hot-blooded day for the umpires, who got heat from the players on the field and from personnel on the benches, both teams in this match were complimented for their well-disciplined benches.
Tuks' women and NMMU played to a goalless draw in the Women's A Section before University of Stellenbosch (Maties) outplayed University of KZN 8-0 after leading 3-0 at the break. Spar SA striker Farah Fredericks bagged a hat-trick with national team-mates Cindy Brown, Vida Ryan and Kathleen Taylor also getting in on the act.
The Pukke of North West University beat University of Cape Town (UCT) 3-0 with Chantelle Bekker, Lesle-Ann George and Princess Khuzwayo getting among the goals.
The University of The Free State is to be congratulated on a splendid venue, with synthetic turf hockey pitches side-by-side and including proper technical areas on both fields plus a festive clubhouse facility.

RESULTS

Men – A Section: Tukkies (2) 4 (Jonty Robinson, Brendan van Zyl, Simon O'Callaghan, Malcolm Ratz) Kovsies 0; UJ (0) 2 (Tebogo Lerole, Brandon Panther) NMMU (0) 1 (Joezay Kops); UCT (2) 3 (Ant Vervoort 2, Simon van Helsdingen) UKZN (2) 2 (Dalan Phillips, Duzo Khanyile); Maties (2) 3 (Pierre de Voux, Shaun McIntyre, Rob Grant) Pukke (0) 1 (Matt Fairweather).

Women – A Section: Tuks 0 NMMU 0; Maties (3) 8 (Farah Fredericks 3, Candice Manuel 2, Vida Ryan, Cindy Brown, Kath Taylor) UKZN 0; Pukke (1) 3 (Chantelle Bekker, Lesle-Ann George, Princess Khuzwayo) UCT 0; UJ (3) 7 (Bernadette Coston, Roxanne Turner 2, Louise Coertzen, Sarah Harley 2, Nicole de Vries) Wits 0.

Men – B Section: UFS Reds B 2 N Cape Urban FET 2; Rhodes 7 Limpopo Turfloop 1; Wits 3 Central U of Tech 2; Tukkies B 4 Cape Pens U of Tech 0; Pukke B 0 NCU FET 2; UFS Reds 1 Vaal U of Tech 0; Namibia Uni 10 Limpopo 2; Rhodes 3 Cape Pens U of Tech 1; Pukke B 0 Central U of Tech 5.

Women – B Section: Rhodes 4 Central U of Tech 0; Pukke B 3 Fort Hare 0; Tukkies B 12 Limpopo 0; Vaal U of Tech 6 Cape Pens U of Tech 0; UFS Reds 3 Rhodes 2.

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