
The challenges for women in palliative care
From The Conversation by BBC World Service
June 1, 2026 · 26 min
About this episode
The episode discusses the challenges women face in palliative care and how to approach conversations about death and dying.
Confronting the death of a loved one – or the end of our own life – can be frightening and overwhelming. And yet it is something that will happen to all of us. So how can we open up conversations about the way we want to die? Is it possible to avoid pain and suffering? And who are the people who will care for us in our final moments? Datshiane Navanayagam talks to two women who work in palliative care. Dr Tania Pastrana is from Colombia and is now based in Germany where she works for the International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care (IAHPC). And Dr Catherine Millington-Sanders is a general practitioner, and national lead in palliative care for the Royal College of GPs. Producer: Hannah Sander
People in this episode
Host: Datshiane Navanayagam
Guests: Dr Tania Pastrana, Dr Catherine Millington-Sanders
Topics covered
- palliative care
- end of life
- women in healthcare
- death and dying
- pain management
Keywords
- palliative care
- women in healthcare
- end of life care
- death
- pain management
Mentioned in this episode
Organizations: International Association for Hospice & Palliative Care, Royal College of GPs
Places: Colombia, Germany
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