National Palliative Care Week 2026 (May 3-9)
The Priorities of the Quebec Coalition for Access to Palliative Care
In the spring of 2026, issues related to end-of-life care are occupying an important place in the public conversation, particularly following the extensive media coverage surrounding Manuelle Légaré’s play Club Sandwich Mayonnaise. The Coalition believes it is essential to continue awareness efforts in order to foster a better understanding of the role of palliative care and the importance of equitable access to these services across Quebec.
The documentary theatre production by Porte Parole has helped spark important and necessary conversations about end-of-life issues. The Coalition wishes to emphasize that palliative care is part of this broader collective reflection and remains far too often misunderstood, despite its ability to significantly improve the quality of life of patients and their loved ones — well before the final days of life — while ensuring compassionate and dignified support until the end.
“Too many people in Quebec still associate palliative care solely with the very last days of life. Yet palliative care can be integrated much earlier in the illness trajectory in order to provide comfort, guidance, psychological support, and quality of life, regardless of age, diagnosis, or care setting,”
Said Dr. Olivia Nguyen, President of the Quebec Society of Palliative Care Physicians.
As part of this awareness week, the Coalition is highlighting five key priorities to ensure equitable access to quality palliative care for all Quebecers:
Strengthen governance and clinical coordination in order to reduce inequalities in access between regions across Quebec
Improve training for healthcare professionals, caregivers, and volunteers by supporting the deployment of recognized and accessible training programs throughout Quebec
Increase public awareness in order to dispel myths surrounding palliative care and encourage earlier integration into care trajectories
Establish a national observatory on palliative and end-of-life care to monitor quality indicators, population needs, and best practices
Sustainably support palliative care resources and programs, including palliative care homes, home care services, and caregivers, in order to ensure continuity and quality of services across Quebec
The Coalition also invites everyone to feel empowered to talk with their care team and discover how palliative care can enhance life, at any point in the disease trajectory.
To celebrate National Hospice Palliative Care Week 2025, the Coalition is inviting the public to view and circulate a video that explains how « Palliative care is about living well », giving voice to those touched by this essential care.
This initiative is made possible by our partners: Alliance des maisons de soins palliatifs du Québec, Association québécoise de soins palliatifs, Institut de soins palliatifs de Montréal, Pallium Canada and the Canadian Cancer Society.
Additional info and tools
About the Coalition
The Coalition is a group of some 30 organizations whose mission is to promote, in a spirit of solidarity, equitable access to quality palliative care by promoting the various aspects of this care in Quebec. It salutes the tireless work of palliative care specialists, but also of all professionals who, without being experts in the field, are committed to offering an approach imbued with compassion and respect.
AQSP 2026 Congress
On May 7 and 8, the Hôtel Delta Sherbrooke – Centre de congrès will host the 35th Annual Conference of the Association québécoise de soins palliatifs (AQSP), under the theme Palliative Care: Landmarks in a Changing Society.
May 6: A pre-conference day organized by the CERC and the SenS group of the Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences at the Université de Sherbrooke. The program includes presentations by experts from Quebec and France, workshops, and an evening show.
May 7 and 8: Two full days featuring conferences, workshops, and related activities, including 20 exhibitors, an art lounge, and a bookstore area.
Visit the conference website for full details and the complete program (both in French).
Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association Campaign
Palliative Care Info Sheets, campaign kit, resource Repository and scenarios
Press release
Downloadable PDF version
Share the video “Palliative care is about living well”
via the AQSP’s social media posts
Version française de cette page: https://www.aqsp.org/semaine-de-soins-palliatifs-2026/