The three M’s stand for media, marketing and messaging. As such, the aim of the workshops is to ensure the all the hospices and hospice staff present consistent messaging, which is essential to building public awareness and understanding of palliative care in the country.
This time around Eric Watlington, (Communications Officer), Jenny Handley, (who works with HPCA in managing the national hospice brand) and Kathy Michaelideas (COO of HPCA) conducted the workshops, travelling to various cities to do so.Day one, August 27, took the team to Naledi Hopsice in Bloemfontein and then they ventured to St Theresa Hospice in Kimberly. The following week they made their way to Acts Hospice in Nelspruit, and on September 3 they finished off their tour with a visit to Brits Hospice in the North West Province.
Commenting on the workshops, Jenny said “it was a privilege to facilitate the MMM workshops, and to get such positive interaction and response from the hospices.”Similarly, she noted the importance of the efforts of every single hospice in the country, no matter how small or remote. “It is so important for our national advocacy team to be exposed to the valuable work that happens in the communities,” she explained.
Referring to the Social Butterfly campaign launched in August, which aims to create an easily recognisable symbol, elevating awareness of hospice and palliative care in South Africa, she said “we were overwhelmed by the great response to the Social Butterfly campaign.”
The team travelled with the temporary tattoos designed and produced by HPCA, which will be worn by HPCA’s national ambassadors and staff in the run-up to Hospice Palliative Care Day on October 11. Jenny explained that all those who attended the workshops were keen to get involved in the campaign. “Everyone put their tattoos on immediately to show their support,” she said.
All in all, the workshops were a hit, and each hospice will take forward the knowledge they have gained with ardent enthusiasm.
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