Even those with a little knowledge about palliative care in India are likely to be familiar with Ms. Gilly Burn, a UK-trained palliative care nurse, the founder of Cancer Relief India and a friend of Pallium India.

Gilly has received recognition on an international level for her vibrant and captivating teaching style, advocacy for palliative care, and inspirational clinical role modelling. During the 1980s, Gilly travelled the entirety of India, presenting palliative care, identifying trailblazers, preparing and enabling people to provide palliative care. She continues to visit and lend her support to the palliative care community in India.

Read about Gilly’s visit to Kashmir

Through October and November of 2023, she covered more than 9000 km while advocating for palliative care in 31 institutes across 4 states and 2 Union Territories, catering to approximately 1500 participants, and 58 engaging hours of sessions on the topics like the basics of palliative care, palliative care in nursing, Neuro-Palliative Care, Significance of Palliative care etc.

She travelled to Maharashtra, Delhi, Jammu and Kashmir, Nagaland, West Bengal, and Assam in October and November2023 to create palliative care awareness and engage with faculty and students at various institutions.

Read about Gilly’s visit to Guwahati

At Dr Menon’s Palliative Care Centre, Thane, Maharashtra, Gilly gave a session on “The significance of Palliative Care and role of Nurses”, attended by 25 participants including Doctors, Nurses, Physiotherapist, Volunteers, centre manager & coordinators.

During her session, Gilly Burn spoke about the concept of total pain, principles of palliative care, emphasising the role of nurses. She elaborated by providing real life examples and also using videos and pictures in her presentation. It was extremely impactful and eye-opening for many.

Gilly also explained the importance of volunteers and how they play a crucial role in the field of palliative care.  

The entire tour of Ms. Gilly Burn was coordinated by Pallium India Facilitation team. The regional facilitators – Rontu Sangma, Sunanda Samal, and Syed Askari – coordinated the events & programs with their regional stakeholders, ensuring that each institutes gets the taste of Gilly Burn’s teachings.

(Report prepared by Syed Askari and Sunanda Samal, Regional Facilitators, Pallium India.)

Gilly Burn with Nagaland Government Officials

Gilly Burn with Jammu and Kashmir’s Drugs Controller at Batra Hospital, Jammu

Gilly Burn with Dr Menon’s Palliative Care Centre team

Gilly at Institute of Human Behaviour and Allied Sciences, Delhi