Uganda Premier League sides, KCCA FC and Onduparaka FC have entered a partnership with Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) to organize a fundraising drive in support of New Life Hospice Arua (NELIHA) to establish a permanent home in Arua.
A charity game between the two sides will be played on 16th June, 2018 at StarTimes stadium in order to fundraise for the establishment of the first building for NELIHA.
Palliative Care is an approach that improves the quality of patients and their families facing problems associated with life threatening illness.
Improvement comes through the prevention and relief of suffering by means of early identification, and then assessment and treatment of pain and other problems – physical, psychological and spiritual.
Palliative care service provision began in Uganda in 1993 through the establishment of Hospice Africa Uganda (HAU).
Formed in 1999, PCAU is a membership organization for all Palliative Care providers in Uganda. In collaboration with Ministry of Health, PCAU has played a key role in initiating and scaling up palliative care provision.
The purpose of the Fundraising event for New Life Hospice Arua is to establish the first building for NELIHA to serve and relieve pain and suffering among communities in West Nile and neighboring countries.
Speaking at the event on Wednesday, Onduparaka club patron Onduparaka Patron Bernard Atiku called up In all football fans to come and be part of the cause.
“In an effort to try and solicit funds that will be used to New Life Hospic to get a permanent home where they can help people in pain, we entered this issue when Pelliative Care called us in fundraising dinner at Hotel Africa as they tried to get the funds for NELIHA, said Atiku.
“Unfortunately, they did not get enough funds to achieve their desired goals but managed to aquire land on which they will build the facility.
“On that note, when they re-approached us on the same issues, we gladly accepted.
“As Onduparaka FC, we are happy to see that we use our club to help the ordinary person especially when it comes to health issues.
“What we are going to do is try and bring our fans on board and they watch the game on top of supporting the cause.
“The money that is going to be collected on that day, will all be directed to NELIHA-Arua in a bid to build them a home.
“We argue all football fans, not limited to those of only Onduparaka and KCCA FC, to come be part of this on 16th June.
“Many people don’t know about Palletive care so we ask that you all come and collect information that can help you try and prevent Cancer.
Two football games between KCCA FC and Onduparaka FC will be held in Kampala and Arua towns. Both events are expected to attract 10,000 participants.
The football matches will be organized in such a way that one will be played in Kampala at StarTimes Stadium on 16th June 2018 and another at Betway Greenlight Stadium on 30th June 2018.
The two events are expected to raise 500 million Uganda Shillings, which is the estimated cost of establishing the first building for NELIHA with its facilities.
The building will house a patient’s waiting room, three office rooms and hostel capacity for at least 20 cancer patients receiving treatment at Arua Regional referral Hospital and patients in transit after referral to Uganda Cancer institute (UCI).
