A Brave New Dawn

“It all started with a lovely lady called Mo,” progressive psychologist Alison Blair explained. “She had a very harsh form of cancer, and I was helping her with the emotional aspects of how to deal with it – and it was then that I realised how difficult it is here for people with life-limiting and serious illnesses. There is so little information available to them – so little help volunteered on all levels. People diagnosed with serious illnesses are often in a state of shock. They can’t work everything out on their own. They wonder who to turn to; are there any alternatives, for instance, or complementary services to those offered by the hospitals and state? It can be a very traumatic time. And, in this particular case, when Mo was basically told that that was it: there was no more that could be done for her – I realised that something the Algarve lacked was a hospice, a refuge where people in the last stages could be cared for with dignity, with their family – even their animals if they wanted them, beside them.”

António José Marcela, a businessman from Lagos, was Mo’s employer and friend. His connection is increased by the fact that he’s seen two of his uncles suffer with violent forms of cancer. One is currently in a terminal phase, at home. He has lost his jaw as it has been eaten away by the disease, but all he receives from the state is relief for pain.

“It is terrible,” António José considered. “When this all began, we drove him up to Lisbon for treatment – he only had a spot then, on his chin, but by the time they had done all the tests, etc., three months had passed, and then we were told there was nothing that could be done. I was so frustrated. I wanted to know more about what was happening, what we could do, but the doctors never seemed to have any time. I ended up learning a little over the Internet – but still, the situation of having my uncle at home, so ill, weighing less than 40 kilos, unable to talk or eat. It is a desperate situation.”

When Mo finally died last November, António José Marcela and other friends – impelled by Alison Blair’s idea for a charitable hospice, set up the Madrugada Association. In February this year, they’d come up with their manifesto, an outline of their project in two-phases, and had already onboard all manner of professionals willing to give their expertise pro-bono.

“It’s all happening so fast!” Marcela smiled, “and that’s a very good sign. We’re in the process of applying for charitable status as an IPSS (Institu icão Particular de Solidariedade Social), and the day after I put some papers in for this, I received a call from Social Services to say “this is a wonderful idea, good luck”.

And as the word gets out, health care professionals have also been offering their services.

“We’ve got two local palliative care specialists and another from Lisbon already on the board, together with an oncology nurse and a highly qualified nursing practitioner” Marcela added. “It’s very exciting – we’re crossing cultures here. This place will be for everybody - not just one language, not just one mentality. We must make this work.”

Experienced in business of all kinds, Marcela is aware of the full gamut of professionals needed to satisfy bureaucratic requirements. “We’re still looking for people to make what is called our “Conselho Fiscal”. I guess what we need is the help of a financial director from a Portuguese company.”

A keen believer in the power of positive visualisation, Alison Blair is more than confident that this help will come.

And key to the whole idea is land – which needs to be donated.

“Preferably, one hectare – somewhere nice and peaceful, but with good access”, she adds.

The group have already been given the use of a building in Praia da Luz (completely free of charge) for their administrative purposes – and the project’s Charity Shop opened there last Saturday, ready to start raising money to fund a future advice centre.

“This is the very first step of a long journey,” Alison explained. “Once we have funds, we can start offering services: home nursing, dietary and complementary advice, counselling etc. We’re talking about a whole new start for people – we’re opening a new day here!”

For more information on this initiative that organisers stress “will be available to everyone”, visit the Madrugada website: www.madrugada-portugal.com, email Email or telephone 964951570.