“Storytelling with Roberta” Brings a Slice of Uganda to Northern Indiana
Since its inception in 2008, the partnership between Center for Hospice Care and the Palliative Care Association of Uganda (PCAU) has been based on mutual respect and the shared objective to increase access to palliative care throughout Uganda.
CHC volunteer and former employee Roberta Spencer has been an integral part of this partnership since the beginning. On September 26th at CHC’s Mishawka Campus, she brought the partnership’s accomplishments to life through her carefully woven tale. The more than 50 people at the event became part of the cross-Atlantic, cross-cultural community as Roberta shared her experiences.
Stories create community, enable us to see through the eyes of other people, and open us to the claims of others.
Peter Forbes
Author and photographer
As part of her numerous visits she has represented CHC and helped facilitate initiatives like a scholarship program for nurses to pursue further education in palliative care, advocacy with the government to include palliative care in national health coverage and a program she helped found, the Road to Hope. This program helps child caregivers continue their education after or while they care for their ill parent or loved one. Often when a parent in Uganda is facing a serious advanced illness, their biggest concern is, “what will become of my child(ren) when I am gone?” The Road to Hope program was created alleviate that concern.
Not only did Robert share stories about students in the Road to Hope program and people she has met, the evening also included a silent auction of Ugandan craft items and food and drinks.