Hats on for Children’s Palliative Care, known by the hashtag #HatsOn4CPC, was marked on Friday 14 October 2022. #HatsOn4CPC is celebrated every second Friday of October each year. This is a day for raising international awareness of the need for children’s palliative care (CPC) and the work of CPC services worldwide.

Research estimates 21 million children globally need palliative care. The global need for children’s palliative care is unknown, however, there is an increased awareness of the gaps that exist in access to palliative care for children around the world. More than 80% of CPC needs are in low and middle-income countries where access to healthcare services and facilities is limited due to various factors. In most countries, only up to 5% of children and young people who need palliative care are able to access these essential services.

Each year the International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) shares resources and a toolkit on the website which can be downloaded to help both individuals and institution members to run successful #HatsOn4CPC campaigns across the world. Holding events has been challenging for many people in the last two years because of the COVID-19 pandemic but people have been creative by wearing hats and masks and posting their pictures on social media to show support and advocacy for CPC. Several events have been held virtually. Fundraising activities and functions were done across the globe with fun days being held at different facilities bringing together families, children and caregivers to show solidarity for CPC.

This year, we were overwhelmed by the support from different institutions and individuals who shared their events online and tagged our different social media platforms namely Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and LinkedIn. We had at least 117 events from 29 countries registered and mapped on the global map for CPC on the ICPCN website. This represents a sample or fraction of the hundreds of events that took place on that day.

Next year will be the 10^th anniversary of #HatsOn4CPC and we expect it to be bigger and better but most importantly to achieve our goals through collective global advocacy. There is no Universal Health Coverage (UHC) until there is equity and access to palliative care for all including the children who need it most. We thank our members and supporters for standing with us over the years in our advocacy efforts. Let’s continue together until every child and young person can access palliative care and is relieved from unnecessary suffering because of a life-limiting or life-threatening condition.

On the picture: the taskforce of the EAPC Children & Young People Reference Group