Make a Difference in 2026: Join Voices4Care and contribute to improvements in palliative care

A message from Voices4Care - a volunteer group aimed at improving palliative care

 As we start a new year, many of us look for a new focus and reflect on how we might make a meaningful difference. For those with experience of palliative care, either personally or as a carer or simply interested in contributing to improvements in palliative care, there is an opportunity in 2026 to become involved and to help to share the future of palliative care.

Established in 2013, Voices4Care is a volunteer group supported by the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC). It brings together people from across the island of Ireland who want to share their experiences and ideas to help improve palliative care for everyone. 

By sharing your experience, you can help to shape future developments in palliative care. This is a great opportunity for those who have personal experience of palliative care, that may be as a family member or carer, or they may be receiving palliative care themselves. It might be someone who is looking to become involved in a voluntary group and meet new people along the way.

Palliative care is about much more than end-of-life care. It focuses on improving quality of life, comfort, dignity, and support for people living with serious or life-limiting conditions, as well as for families and carers. Palliative care focusses on meeting people’s physical, social, emotional and spiritual needs.  Voices4Care volunteers help to demystify palliative care and challenge common misunderstandings by bringing lived experience into research, service design, and policy discussions. 

Current Voices4Care members include people living with palliative care needs, carers and former carers, family members, and interested citizens who want to help ensure palliative care is accessible, compassionate, and person-centred. There is no specific time commitment, participation is welcome at all levels and all contributions are valued. A background in health care is not required. 

Voices4Care members have spoken of their very positive experience of being a part of this community,

“It’s been a wonderful journey, from the get-go, you meet a lot of really like-minded people, people who are passionate about changing what is very often a very difficult time for people. 

“My voice has been listened to, I’ve had an opportunity to partake in all sorts of different projects and research, and it has been extremely fulfilling…..it’s important that new voices are heard.”

Find out more at www.aiihpc.org.