South Africa observes Hospice Week 2026 from May 4 to 10.

This is a national moment to pause, reflect and recognise the quiet, profound work being done in homes and care facilities across our country every single day.

Led by the Association of Palliative Care Centres (APCC), this year’s theme, ‘Access for All, Recognition by All’, carries a message that is both urgent and deeply human: palliative care is a fundamental human right, and no South African facing a life-limiting illness should face that journey alone, or without the support they deserve.

The APCC’s campaign is a call to action for government, funders, and communities to champion earlier referrals, improved funding, and equitable access to dignified, patient-centred care.

At Stepping Stone Hospice, this call is not new to them. It is the heartbeat of everything they do.

Moments that matter

Hospice nurses, social workers, counsellors, and volunteers show up every day for patients and families navigating some of the most difficult seasons of their lives.

“But what makes Stepping Stone truly special is that we believe whole-hearted care extends far beyond clinical treatment. It means listening. It means asking: What matters to you? And then doing everything in our power to make it happen. Over the years, our team has been privileged to walk alongside patients in ways that have moved us all to tears and to joy,” said Tersia Burger, Stepping Stone Hospice founder and CEO.

Hospice has helped couples, some together for decades, renew their wedding vows at the bedside, surrounded by family, flowers, and the kind of love that illness cannot touch.

They have welcomed roaring processions of bikers who arrived with leather jackets, warm smiles, and generous hearts to spend time with their patients.

They have arranged for patients to be taken to a game farm, where they sat beneath open skies and watched animals move in the quiet wild.

Through the generosity of third parties and community partners, Stepping Stone also helped children and young adults reach milestones that seemed impossibly out of reach.

They need your help

None of this is possible without funding. Palliative care in SA remains critically underfunded, and organisations like theirs rely heavily on the goodwill and generosity of the community to keep their doors open and their services free to those who need them most.

“Every donation, large or small, directly sustains the nurses who hold a patient’s hand at 2am, the counsellors who sit with grieving families, and the small miracles we make happen every day. During Hospice Week 2026, we ask the community to stand with us. Raise your voice for better recognition and funding of palliative care,” Tersia said.

For more information about Stepping Stone, to refer a patient or to make a donation, residents can contact Stepping Stone on 010 442 5059 or email: fundraising@steppingstonehospice.co.za

To learn more about Hospice Week 2026 and the APCC’s campaign, visit apcc.org.za/hospice-week-2026