Spiritual recognition within palliative care

The modern palliative care movement has developed primarily for patients with cancer. Recent statistics from the Cancer Research Campaign (2000) reveal that a record four out of ten people will develop cancer during their lifetime. The rise in the number of people developing cancer is largely because more people are living to an older age when cancer is more common. As people continue to live longer during the 21 st century palliative nursing care will face new and different challenges. For example, providing care for increasing numbers of people with chronic illnesses, which may result in increased disability and loss of independence.