Partnering for Children

In a perfect world, children and hospice would be two words never used in the same sentence. We know, however, that it just isn’t so. Every day children are diagnosed with life threatening illnesses and their families left wondering where to turn for help. Too many families aren’t aware of the benefits of pediatric palliative care and don’t access its resources.

This problem is now being addressed by a collaborative effort between the Children’s Hospice and Palliative Care Coalition, the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization, and the National Hospice Foundation. These organizations have joined forces to form Partnering for Children.

Partnering for Children is a national awareness campaign to spread the word about compassionate, family-centered healthcare for children with life-threatening conditions. The campaign is reaching out to parents, healthcare professionals, and the media about the benefits of palliative care and hospice. Their goals are to:

• Increase awareness about the benefits of palliative care and hospice among healthcare providers and the general public;
• Rally healthcare providers and policy makers to increase access to palliative care and hospice for children;
• Mobilze parents, pediatric healthcare providers and communities to initiate community-based care and support systems; and
• Raise funds for national pediatric palliative care and hospice initiatives.

Partnering for Children encourages individuals and corporations to get involved in their efforts. They have educational materials for parents and for healthcare providers. They also have bracelets for sale with the proceeds going to this noble cause. You can visit the website at www.partneringforchildren.org and view and purchase bracelets at www.childrenshospice.org.