Global palliative care community mourns the loss of former FHSSA Chairperson, Becky McDonald

Categories: Leadership.

Becky was devoted to a vision of truly global universal access to palliative care and a true champion for those who needed these services, particularly in Sub-Saharan Africa.

She first served on the US National Hospice Palliative Care Organization (NHPCO) Board of Directors in 1988 before becoming a director of FHSSA in 2002. Becky then served as vice-chair of the organisation from 2002 to 2006, and again in 2008, before taking up the position of chairperson from 2009-2010.

FHSSA began in 1999 as the Foundation for Hospices in Sub-Saharan Africa, an affiliate of NHPCO. Today, FHSSA works in 14 African countries, twinning hospices in these countries with partners from more than 80 organisations across the US. In this way, FHSSA reaches hundreds of thousands of palliative care patients across Africa and their families.

John Mastrojohn, executive director of the National Hospice Foundation of the US (NHF) & FHSSA, remembered his colleague with a quote by Gretchen Brown: “we have lost another tall tree.”

Liz Gwyther, CEO of the Hospice Palliative Care Association of South Africa, said: “I am so sorry to hear of Becky’s death. She was a good friend and a tireless worker on behalf of hospices in Africa. I remember many good times with her and the great leadership as chair of FHSSA. I extend my sincere condolences to her family. I hope the fact that she was much loved and her work so appreciated by colleagues and hospice partners in South Africa is of comfort to her family.”

ehospice joins the international palliative care community in extending our condolences to all who knew and worked with Becky.

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