Hospice Malta, the local NGO dedicated to providing free palliative care services to patients and their families, has launched its annual fundraising telethon, L-Aħħar Pass.

Scheduled for Sunday, July 7, this year’s telethon aims to rally public support to complete the final stages of the St Michael Hospice complex, with the inauguration slated for September.

The telethon will be broadcast live for 12 hours directly from St Michael Hospice in Santa Venera, from 11am to 11pm. Viewers can tune in to local television stations to experience touching stories and interviews showcasing the impact of Hospice Malta’s services and the importance of completing the St Michael Hospice project.

St Michael Hospice, Malta’s first palliative care complex, represents a transformative milestone in Hospice Malta’s 34-year commitment to holistic care. The complex will offer crucial in-patient facilities and expanded services, ensuring comprehensive support for patients and their families facing life-limiting illnesses.

Bernadette Bonnici Kind, chairperson of Hospice Malta, expressed gratitude and emphasised the significance of completing St Michael Hospice, urging benefactors, the business community and the public to contribute generously towards this project of national importance.

Kenneth Delia, CEO of Hospice Malta, noted that the St Michael Hospice project is nearing its final stages of completion. With this infrastructure in place, Hospice Malta will be well-equipped to efficiently accommodate its current services while also offering the potential for expansion through its services in the community, day services as well as in-patient services, he said.

He added: “We are witnessing a steady rise in demand for our services. In 2023 alone, we welcomed close to 900 new patients, serving 1,500 families annually. Our dedicated professionals provided nearly 37,000 sessions of care, supported by over 11,000 volunteer hours and almost 27,000 hours of care in patients’ homes. Additionally, we loaned over 2,500 pieces of essential equipment to those in need. The telethon provides us with a vital lifeline to continue supporting patients and their families through high-quality individualised palliative care services.”

The L-Aħħar Pass telethon welcomes donations through multiple channels, including calls, SMS, online platforms, and pledges.

Donation details:

Call: €25 - 5180 2024 | €50 - 5190 2031

SMS: €11.65 - 5061 9234

Online: https://hospicemalta .org/supporting-hospice/donations/

BOV Mobile: 7993 3894

BOV Bill Payable or APS Bill Payable

Pledge: 2122 0011

For more information, visit www.hospicemalta.org.