>> IMAGINE a world where the strongest pain killer is just paracetamol, the tablet most of us take when we have a headache! When Hospice Africa started in Kampala, Uganda, in November 1993 this was the reality for Bashil, aged 8 who had cancer and had just had his arm and shoulder amputated.

Our Founder, Dr Anne Merriman, found Bashil lying in a hospital bed in Kampala. He was in terrible pain but the only pain-killer available was paracetamol! The surgery had been performed to remove a tumour, but unfortunately it was too late and the cancer had spread and he only had a short time to live. Using oral morphine, which she was able to provide, Anne was able to control the pain. She discovered that Bashil lived with his Granny and that he wanted to go home with her. At the time the team consisted of Anne, a palliative care nurse and a driver. Just before Christmas 1993 they drove Bashil and and his Granny to their house in a village outside Kampala, where he lived for his last few weeks. The picture shows him at home, free from pain and happy. Bashil was one of the first people in Uganda to receive palliative care.

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