Contributions made to the development of Korean hospice palliative care
YU Medical Center Hospice Palliative Care Committee Chairman
[October 14, 2014]

Medical School Professor Lee Gyeong-hee (53, Internal Medicine, photo) won the Minister of Health & Welfare Award for his contributions to the establishment and development of Korean hospice palliative care.

On the 8th, the Ministry of Health & Welfare (Minister Moon Hyeong-pyo) held the '2nd Hospice Palliative Care Ceremony' in commemoration of the 'World Hospice Palliative Care Week' held annually in the second week of October. At this ceremony held at the Seoul Ferrum Tower Ferrum Hall, eight people received the Minister's award for contributions to hospice palliative care.

At this award ceremony, Professor Lee received the Minister's Award for his contributions to the establishment and development of hospices in Korea by championing the opening of the 'palliative care ward' within the hospital while serving as the chairperson of the YU Medical Center Hospice Palliative Care Committee. Professor Lee lowered the pain and symptoms of terminally ill patients such as end-stage cancer, as well as comprehensive evaluation on physical, psycho-social, and spiritual fields and hospice holistic treatment to contribute in enhancing the quality of life for not only the patient but also their families.

Professor Lee graduated from the YU College of Medicine (graduated in 1986) and conducted research at the 'MD Anderson Cancer Center' at the University of Texas, the top cancer hospital in America, and was awarded the best poster paper award of the World Gastric Cancer Society (2007), International Peace Price of the American Culture Association medical sector (2010), and the Dr. Paul Poster Paper Award from the Hospice Palliative Medical Society (2013). In April of this year, he was awarded the 'International Fellowship Peace Prize' for his contributions in prominent academic journals related to international medicine from IBC (IBC, International Biographical Center, Cambridge, England), one of the three major biographical journals.