About Us

ANGSANAcare is a registered Malaysian Society that was created to help improve the quality of life for paediatric palliative care patients and their families in the Paediatric Institute, Hospital Kuala Lumpur. Our mission is to provide arts and holistic therapies to provide additional support to paediatric palliative care patients and families. We aim to reduce their stress and suffering, whilst creating a positive and stimulating environment during their last days together.

Patient Care

Our Clinical Psychologist assesses and provides intervention to promote mental health for the children in our care. Paediatric palliative care patients live with excessive fear, stress and uncertainty. Whilst their doctors and families concentrate on supporting their medical needs, often mental and emotional well­being is given a lesser priority. ANGSANAcare also provides art and music therapy to the children, with the aim of facilitating enjoyment and peace in their last days. Studies prove that these therapies not only allow children to express themselves more freely, they also successfully aid in the reduction of their physical pain. The art and music therapy we provide helps them to focus their minds elsewhere whilst simultaneously creating an outlet for their fragile emotions.

The Family

With limited resources and the burden of care, the patient’s family dynamics suffer. Due to physical and emotional fatigue parents can split up and siblings are often left to fend for themselves. This results in guilt and grief for the patient. ANGSANAcare’s services extend to the entire family. Through counselling, music and massage therapy we aim to help ease their collective suffering.

“A Little Wish”

Here we endeavour to fulfill a dream or wish for each patient and their family. This programme frequently requires us to take action quickly, as the wish is often voiced in the patient’s last days. In the pilot project that we completed at the end of 2014 our ‘A Little Wish’ programme received a variety of requests from a family meal out, throwing a birthday party, a haircut, a wig, sending flowers to the patient’s Mother or being taken on a family day out! This programme is designed to give the patient and the family a little fun, laughter and joy in their final days together.

The Dream

Further into future, with enough funds, we would like to build a medically equipped holiday home so that our patient’s and their families can take respite and enjoy some precious time together. We are aware how luxurious this may sound for a charitable organization.  The families that we work with have been struggling for years, coping with a very sick child.  They rarely have a meal together, siblings are neglected and parents haven’t slept in the same bed since their child fell ill.  This home will provide them with precious time together before the patient dies.

The Team

A team of enthusiastic therapists, facilitators and volunteers has been operating ANGSANAcare’s programmes effectively, but there are limits to our resources given the many patients we would like to help. Along with the committee, ANGSANAcare also have a team of Medical Advisors who closely supervise the project and are the dedicated Palliative Care doctors that pioneered this programme in Malaysia. In the future ANGSANAcare intends to start a training programme for our volunteers, enabling us to reach a wider group of patients and their families. In turn we hope to further reduce their distress and suffering during this difficult time.