The Karuna Hospice Service

Patrons: Dr. Elizabeth Kubler-Ross

Her Excellency Mrs. Leneen Forde, A.C. Governor of Queensland

Our Vision

Our vision is the creation of a healthy community for the terminally ill and their loved ones through the provision of a community collaborative hospice service. We believe that Hospice and Palliative care is best provided under a Primary Health care focus.

We aim to provide the highest quality service to people with terminal illness and their loved ones from the time of diagnosis through the bereavement period. Our belief is that this service is best provided in a healthy and supportive community where, death, dying and bereavement is openly discussed and accepted.

Promotion of healthy dying requires terminally ill adults and children and their loved ones to have a choice in where and how they spend their remaining life. To support this choice, a range of inpatient and community services plus the availability of knowledge networks of community members are required to ensure continuity of care and the provision of high qualitative palliative and hospice care.

To the Karuna Hospice Service, hospice is a holistic approach to care rather than a place. Our approach includes:

• holistic client-centered care
• hospice at home program
• multidisciplinary teamwork
• community participation hospital/general practitioner/community
• services collaboration
• a bereavement support program
• community and professional education in issues of death and dying
• a cottage hospice and day hospice is envisioned as a future development.

Karuna Hospice Service views itself as existing within a comprehensive and integrated health network, and acting as a model for community based hospice services both within Australia and overseas.

As a Buddhist based organization the Karuna Hospice Service also acts as a compassionate service model to the dying for the world Buddhist community.

How is Karuna Funded?

Karuna receives some Government funding for people who are public patients of the health services system. The remainder of our services are funded by donations from the community.

Your financial support is always valued and is vital to the continuation of care for those with terminal illnesses.

Karuna is a non-profit registered Public Benevolent Institution and is also a registered charity in Queensland. All donations are tax deductible.