When someone we love deeply dies, life goes on. So, when our mother died, we quickly realised that the sun would continue on its usual course and that the earth would keep turning on its axis. And so it was. It has been over a year since the day our mother was admitted to the Palliative Care Unit at the IPO in Porto, where she passed away with dignity, humanity and serenity, surrounded by the love of her family and the care of incomparable professionals. The building housing the palliative and long-term care unit at the IPO in Porto was built and is maintained largely with money from donations. At the time of my mother’s passing, we made a donation to the staff, but we always felt a desire to do more for the unit. For this reason, I decided to join my sister Sara, who is organising a fundraising campaign so that on her birthday she can gather all the love you wish to show her and convert it into funds that will help people at the end of their lives, so that they too may have the same conditions our mother had.

Out of all the gratitude we feel for the Palliative and Continuing Care Service at the IPO in Porto, I would also like to make a request: this year, on my birthday, please don’t buy me a present; instead, join this cause and help us to thank the palliative care service at the IPO in Porto on our mother’s behalf.

Thank you very much❤️

Tiago