Dianne Waddington, Head of Social Services at Helderberg Hospice, recently travelled to the United States of America to visit our sister organisation, Hospice of the Western Reserve, located in Cleveland, Ohio.
This special visit reflects the enduring international connection between the two hospices which is a relationship rooted in empathy, professional collaboration, and a mutual dedication to excellence in palliative care.
Dianne was warmly welcomed by Bill Finn, President and CEO, and India Rice, Director of Compliance at Hospice of the Western Reserve, and presented them with a handcrafted wall hanging of Kirstenbosch Garden – one of South Africa’s most iconic and biodiverse botanical gardens – as a gift from the Helderberg team. The artwork now hangs in the Ohio hospice as a symbol of the growing global community committed to compassionate care.
As part of her visit, Dianne also participated in a radio interview on Ideastream Public Media’s “Sound of Ideas”, where she joined a panel of experts to discuss what hospice and palliative care services are, and how these essential services provide comfort, dignity, and support to patients and their families.
During the interview, Dianne eloquently shared her South African perspective on social services within holistic hospice and palliative care, the importance of emotional and psychosocial support, and the role of community in ensuring that no one faces a life-limiting diagnosis alone.
This visit highlights the importance of global knowledge-sharing, advocacy, and unity in addressing the growing need for palliative care services worldwide. It also reaffirms Helderberg Hospice’s place on the global stage as a provider of compassionate, high-quality care: always going beyond service.