Belgian association celebrates 30 years of palliative care support

The non-profit organization Au Fil Des Jours celebrated its 30th anniversary at La Vieille Cense in Marloie, Belgium.

The group gathered patients, healthcare professionals, volunteers, and institutional partners to mark three decades of providing support to people with incurable diseases and their families. The organization began its work in 1996 with help from the Mutualité Socialiste du Luxembourg and local secular actors. The group focuses on helping patients maintain their dignity and personal choices while managing end-of-life symptoms.

Staff members including nurses, doctors, and social workers collaborate with first-line medical professionals to address the medical, psychological, and relational needs of those they serve. The association reported a large increase in its reach, growing from 33 patients in 1999 to 751 patients in 2025. However, the organization noted that regional funding does not cover the majority of these cases. The group stated that 463 accompaniments, or nearly 62% of its activity, currently lack subsidies.

This trend mirrors broader regional issues where Walloon support teams responded to 6,524 requests in 2025, but the AViQ agency funded only 3,459 of those requests. Looking ahead, Au Fil Des Jours plans to focus on better training, skill sharing, and stronger partnerships to handle increasingly complex home care situations. The group also intends to explore innovative complementary approaches to improve patient well-being.

During the anniversary, the organization called for increased funding to match the actual level of activity performed by staff on the ground.