By Renka Gesing
with photography by Bernard Clark
Dr. Danielle Kain faces death most days. But she loves caring for her patients through her chosen speciality. “Palliative care is helping people live as well as possible for as long as possible in a way that reflects and values who they are as a person.”
Danielle takes charge of many aspects of palliative care. At Queen’s University, she is an Assistant Professor and Co-Chair (Interim) in the Division of Palliative Medicine. She is also Clinical Director of Palliative Care at Providence Care Hospital. In addition, Danielle is President of the Medical Staff Association at Kingston Health Sciences Centre. As the clinical director of palliative care at Providence Care Hospital, Danielle is especially proud of being able to participate in the opening of the AB Smith Homestead House Hospice — to help bring compassionate end-of-life care to our community in a warm and supportive environment.
“I really love the variety,” she says, “and there’s almost no other field in medicine that I am aware of where you can do all those different things and they’re still part of being a palliative care physician.” In one week, she could work in a special rapid lung assessment clinic for people with suspected lung cancer, work in the cancer and multidisciplinary outpatient clinics, go to the Providence Care ALS clinic, teach medical students and do visits in patients’ homes or at the new hospice. . . .
