On November 29, the UIC Barcelona Campus hosted a new edition of the International Workshop organized by the WeCare Chair with the collaboration of Áltima and the Catalan Institute of Oncology. Under the title Responding to the Desire to Die, the meeting brought together speakers to discuss the desire to hasten death from a multidisciplinary perspective. The event, with high in-person and virtual participation, provided a space to reflect on the comprehensive accompaniment of patients, professionals, and families, encompassing spiritual, clinical, psychological, and family dimensions. Additionally, this year we had participants from Uruguay and England.
To start, the directors of the Chair welcomed all the attendees. In the first part, philosopher Aleix Bonfill addressed the spiritual constants of the sick person, emphasizing the importance of exploring existential questions for humanized care. Next, psychologist Marina Martínez highlighted the self-care of professionals in high emotional impact contexts and offered tools to manage stress and prevent professional burnout.
In the second part, palliative care physician Javier Rocafort Gil presented clinical strategies to respond to the desire to hasten death, emphasizing the need for open and empathetic communication. Following this, doctor Miguel Ángel Cuervo reflected on accompanying families in critical moments to reduce suffering.
Finally, doctor Albert Balaguer concluded the day by highlighting the importance of multidisciplinary work in addressing the desire to die, respecting the dignity of each person.
You can watch the recording of the day below.
Link:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1YQ3sru1XdgaCLvW6EiWiD_YPpQZHumdA/view?usp=sharing
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tyFIJcCUAcRS-u730hhn0tpAakHBVN9e/view?usp=sharing
