Pastoral care of terminally ill cancer patients in Malawi

Abstract

Palliative care possesses varied facets. All these unite in the generic objective of the term, namely “serving to cover or mitigate.” This dissertation focuses on the pastoral care of terminally ill cancer patients in the context of Malawi, a country in Sub-Saharan Africa with a strained health system. Cervical cancer continues to be the silent killer of many women in Malawi, even though it is curable. Given the unavailability of fully-fledged hospices, long distances to leading hospitals, HIV/AIDS scourge, and general levels of abject poverty, the dissertation explores the best pastoral care practice for terminally ill cancer patients in Malawi. The search is done through an in-depth study of literature on cancer, pastoral care, counselling, African Religions and Philosophy and ethics. A bibliographical survey on the mission of the Church, primarily based on Evangelii Gaudium (24 November 2013) and Fratelli Tutti (4 October 2020), to contextualise this in the local situation in Malawi is also discussed. Pastoral care involves sensitisation and facilitates a better quality of life after terminal cancer diagnosis, and must be accompanied by counselling. Even in this case, however, it can be less therapeutic if it is done as a mere routine. Hence, it must be a part of the interdisciplinary approach with all parties involved caring for the physical, social and psychological pain of the patient and the wider family and community. This dissertation proposes a pastoral care practice that also looks at root causes of cancer that end up being terminal, to highlight the importance of implementing preventive measures. It calls for strengthening the tradition of visiting the sick while paying attention to the broader social injustices being perpetrated at all levels. Once a terminal diagnosis is made, this dissertation calls for more focus towards fostering the quality of life and its meaning for the remaining stage of life. It calls on policy makers for the local Church in Malawi to better form its ministers to acquaint themselves with the changing dynamics, spirituality and ethics of pastoral ministry.