Celebrating 20 Years of Palliative Care Education with ELNEC!

“I feel like the luckiest person in the world to have met my mentor and role model, Dr. Betty Ferrell,” stated Nurse Bedilu Deribe Derese from Hawassa, Ethiopia, during a lively introduction round at the 20th anniversary of the Palliative Care seminar.

This week marked both the first seminar of the new year and the 20th anniversary of the OMI Palliative Care (ELNEC) course. The first seminar of its kind took place in 2006 and was specifically geared towards nurses. 20 years later, the course continues to thrive, with hundreds of nurses trained and countless patients’ lives transformed. Two founding faculty members, Dr. Judith A. Paice and Dr. Betty Ferrell, were also present this week.

Speaking of Dr. Betty Ferrell, we were honored that the pioneer and world-renowned leader in palliative care education joined the faculty again this year. Dr. Ferrell, who is the ELNEC Project Director and works at City of Hope Medical Center in California, has been a nurse for 49 years and stated that she is “a proud nurse.” Thanks to her vision, energy, and leadership, ELNEC is a global entity today that has reached 146 countries. Many of these international connections were made in Salzburg.

ELNEC has been established for 25 years, and the OMI palliative care seminars have been offered since 2006. Dr. Ferrell shared, “We are so honored to be a part of this training and to witness the incredible impact the course has had as the participants have returned to their countries and have become national leaders in palliative care.”

This week’s course was led by none other than course director Dr. Judith A. Paice, Director of the Cancer Pain Program and Research Professor of Medicine at Northwestern University, Feinberg School of Medicine. Dr. Paice, who has been involved in the OMI’s educational efforts eleven times, emphasized, “The next wave of education in palliative care is coming through the nursing schools.” She was joined by Dr. Carrie L. Cormack from the College of Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina, who specializes in pediatric and perinatal palliative care, Dr. Sarah Lowry who practices at the Knight Cancer Institute and is an Associate Professor in the School of Medicine at Oregon Health & Science University, and Nurse Nicoleta Mitrea from the Nursing Hospice “Casa Sperantei”, Romania.

Special guest Dr. Catherine O. Durham, a nurse for 31 years and retired Navy Captain with 28 years of military service, taught at Schloss Arenberg for the first time. Dr. Durham serves as Dean and Professor of the College of Nursing at the Medical University of South Carolina, where she leads one of the nation’s top-ranked nursing programs. Given her rich background and commitment to nursing education, she shared her leadership expertise with the fellows in compelling lectures.

Dr. Durham shared her first impressions of the seminar in a heartfelt statement: “My time at the OMI has been deeply meaningful. Being part of the international faculty teaching Palliative Care through ELNEC has been an incredible experience. OMI has created a collaborative and genuinely welcoming space for nurses and physicians from around the world.

While the education itself is impactful, what resonates most is the opportunity to learn alongside and engage with fellow nurses, colleagues who may practice far from where I do, yet are united by a shared calling to nursing and healthcare. That shared purpose transcends borders and connects us in this work in a powerful and lasting way.”

The 2026 course received 204 applications, from which 34 nurses from five continents (Africa, Asia, North and South America, Europe) and 14 countries were selected. Nine fellows came from countries outside of Central and Eastern Europe and Southeast Asia, namely Brazil, Colombia, Eswatini, Ethiopia, and Malaysia. We are thrilled to expand our global outreach!

The course brought together participants from around the world to learn about care of the seriously ill and their loved ones. Topics included pain and symptom management, communication skills for difficult conversations, ethical and cultural concerns, and care during the final hours. Some of the lectures were divided into two groups: pediatric caretakers led by Dr. Cormack and adult caretakers. “Sharing, networking, leadership, and developing strategies to disseminate this information in one’s home country are essential components to ensure this knowledge is shared widely,” explained Dr. Paice.

Dr. Cormack and Dr. Lowry not only taught in Salzburg but also traveled to Armenia for a satellite symposium right after the course. We want to thank them for their dedication and support!

Together, we will continue to advance compassionate, patient-centered care, empower nurses, and change palliative care globally!