The Palliative Care Society of Trinidad & Tobago

The Palliative Care Society of Trinidad and Tobago was established in April 2011. Mr. Saty Seemungal, the president of the Palliative Care Society and his wife, lost their daughter, Trudy Ann Velauytham Seemungal, in 2011 to lung cancer. After the death of their daughter, parents Mr. and Mrs Seemungal wanted to help others needing the compassion and care that their daughter Trudy had received in her last days. Through her memory a legacy was born, and The Palliative Care Society of Trinidad and Tobago came to be. The goals of the Society are to transform the care available to persons living with life-limiting illnesses and their families in Trinidad and Tobago through increased medical support, social support and advocacy. PCSTT is also dedicated to improving training and education about palliative care.

In August 2014, PCSTT took another leap in bring end-of-life services to individuals travelling the journey of a life-limiting illness, with the opening of their first state-funded palliative care unit within the Caribbean. The Caura Hospital Palliative Care Unit in Caura province is a 12-bed inpatient unity that serves individuals in the end stages of their progressive life-limiting illness. 

The PCSTT hosts an annual Palliative Care Conference where professionals from all over the world attend to learn and grow capacity of end-of-life services. In addition, every fall a stellar fundraising gala called 'The Poor Man's Ball' is held in support of the Caura Palliative Care Unit. 

 Please click on the link below to be directed to PCSTT website, where you will find information about palliative care in Trinidad, the current directors, events and future projects in the works.

"The Gateway to heaven"

Lovingly nicknamed by the staff as the 'Gateway to Heaven', The Caura Hospital Palliative Care Unit is wonderfully situated on a stunning property, surrounded by a complement of larger than life trees that serve to foster a sense of living. Aging at over a hundreds old, one of the beautiful trees on the property is appropriately named 'The Tree of Life', as its foliage covers the majority of the grounds. Overlooking the Unit are the mountain ranges of Saint George province, which give the sense that you are truly on sacred grounds. What an incredible place to 'live until you die'. 

The Caura Hospital PCU

In collaboration with the North Central Regional Health Authority (NCRHA), PCSTT renovated a formerly derelict building into the home-like setting where individuals can live their last days in comfort, cared for by exceptionally compassionate staff. 

Trudy-Ann Seemungal-Velauytham

In honour of their late daughter, who died of lung cancer at the age for 48, Mr. and Mrs. Seemungal established The Palliative Care Society of Trinidad and Tobago. Trudy-Ann left an incredible legacy, that will benefit generations to come.