During this summer, part of the newspapers’ debate revolved around the theme of euthanasia. Both those in favour and those against made strong arguments. Yet, as an observer, I was struck by one important element that united both sides.
Those debating in favour as well as those seeking to explain why euthanasia is wrong had one thing in common: they were making their arguments to ensure that their loved ones, and eventually they too, could die with dignity.
The progress that Malta has made in social well-being along the twentieth century enabled many individuals from all walks in life to start living in dignity for the first time. Living in dignity is now enhancing the desire of dying with dignity. This desire is being driven by at least two opposing realities.
On one hand people are starting to live longer. Today, Malta’s life expectancy is equal to that of the United States. On average the Maltese expect to live to over eighty. No doubt medicine is one of the reasons why we are living longer. Yet this is also coming at a cost. Sometimes medical care can be invasive and extend life unnecessarily. In normal situations doctors should ask point blank if a terminally sick person wants to be given further additional treatment when they know it will be only a matter a weeks or months.
A lot of people associate terminally ill patients with cancer. One of the reasons is driven by the fact that cases of people suffering from cancer are on the increase and current medical statistics speak about 4000 new cases per year. This figure appears high but the reasons for this can be varied. Among these numbers, one must include the number of returned migrants and possibly foreigners who are living in Malta.
However, some will link this high number to the fact that the environment is deteriorating and the number of open spaces in Malta is decreasing. Issues like the controversy around the Sliema and Mrieħel towers are just appetizers of what we might expect in terms of political controversies in the future. I state this irrespective of whichever party is going to govern Malta in the future.
Nonetheless, I was struck by two interesting projects. The first one was the promise made by Archbishop Scicluna that the Church in Malta will be opening its palliative centre to alleviate the suffering of the terminally ill and offer a space where one can die with dignity.
The second project is being proposed by a private company. I had the opportunity to chat with Patrick O’Brien a director of a leading financial services company in Malta. Present was also the company’s senior manager Kerstin Ancilleri. The company started out with only three employees. Today, it employs over 150 persons. What these two individuals are proposing is stunning.
On a personal note, I enjoyed talking to O’Brien for another reason: he comes from the world of journalism. He is a former journalist with one of the leading UK tabloids, the Daily Mail. Eventually, he decided to change career. A number of personal experiences, in particular, the death of one of his beloved grandparents, made Patrick think more about the need for people to die with dignity.
O’Brien together with the owners of Exante came up with the idea of creating a garden next to the new Oncology Department. This will be no ordinary garden. What will be offered here is a garden, which in reality is also an extension of the hospital itself. As these patients are normally under intensive care, this little garden will be equipped with all the technological requirements for such patients.
This project has been named il-Ġardina, the Maltese diminutive of the Italian word giardino, meaning garden. In Maltese ġardina stands for a small garden that was normally attached to the back of some of our old village houses. Therefore, the choice of word itself seeks to impart a concept of a home for those living within hospital walls waiting for their time to depart the world of the living.
Despite the advancement in technology, our hospitals still look too clinical with the result that they do not always fulfil the modern expectations of human dignity. There is no doubt that Malta has one of the best hospitals in Europe, but the structure is very austere. The aim is to create a warmer environment.
This all sounds fantastic and positive thinking. Yet what this project seeks to achieve most is something very basic. Offering a little space, where individuals who are terminally ill can have a bit of privacy in the open air. Normally, these patients spend most of their time sitting down in the confined space of a ward and some lucky ones are placed in a private room.
Whatever the case, whether a ward or a private room, the result is the same. The patient ends up staring at the same walls. This creates more stress and anxiety. Some patients would like to go out but because of their condition they are unable even to walk out of the wards.
Most, if not all the windows at Mater Dei, cannot even be opened for security reasons and also because the whole complex is air-conditioned. A number of patients miss the caress of a fresh breeze. They also miss the fact that they cannot sit outside with their loved one in a place where they can feel secure. Thus, with the concept of this garden, patients will be able to spend some quality time with the ones whom they love.
A number of businessmen have already offered their services for free, from the gardening aspect to its actual building. Yet, such a project needs funding in particular to ensure its maintenance and upkeep. This must be done by a specialized workforce, who together with nurses and doctors will guarantee a top-notch quality service to all those patients making use of this open space.
The fund raising started last November. Money is being collected under the auspices of the Malta Community Chest Fund. O’Brien has only words of praise for the President Coleiro-Preca. He was struck by her genuine caring interest in alleviating the sufferings of the sick, which is the driving force that makes him organize more fund raising activities for this project. In fact, fund-raising is on-going and a number of events are now being planned to increase awareness about this initiative.
I would like to take this opportunity to invite the readers of this blog, who wish to contribute towards this project to send their donations directly to http://president.gov.mt/mccf/ stating Il-Ġardina Project
Any donation, whether small or big, will be appreciated. What the organizers of this project are looking for is not at the amount of the donation but that those wishing to donate, do so with an open heart.