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Projects

Holistic Oncological Palliative Care 4 Europe’s Kids (Hope4Kids)

The Hope4Kids – Holistic Oncologic Palliative Care for Europe’s Kids - Joint Action aims to strengthen and harmonise paediatric palliative care (PPC) across Europe for all children living with life-threatening or life-limiting conditions.   

Across Europe, many children live with severe, complex or rare chronic conditions that significantly affect their quality of life and, in many cases, may shorten life expectancy. PPC is not limited to end-of-life care – it is an active and holistic approach that can be provided from the moment of diagnosis, regardless of disease type or stage, and alongside disease-specific or life-prolonging treatments. The aim of PPC is to prevent and relieve suffering through effective management of pain and other distressing symptoms, as well as to provide psychological, social and spiritual support to children and their families.   

Access to specialised PPC across Europe remains uneven, and care is often integrated late or inadequately into routine paediatric services. As a result, children, their families and informal caregivers frequently experience inconsistent care. Hope4Kids responds to these challenges through a comprehensive and coordinated approach. Key deliverables include mapping of PPC systems across Europe; development of harmonised, evidence-based guidelines in PPC; implementation and evaluation of four pilot interventions across more than 17 study sites; and development of education and training programmes for healthcare professionals, parents and informal caregivers such as teachers. Hope4Kids will also build a European PPC network of professionals and collaborate with other European projects.  

The Hope4Kids project has a duration of 4 years and is coordinated by the Princess Máxima Center for pediatric oncology in the Netherlands. The initiative is built on the cooperation of more than 50 partners and over 70 organisations from 23 European countries. Through this collaboration, Hope4Kids addresses inequalities in access to PPC, quality of care, and integration into health systems. Ultimately, this will ensure that every child and family have timely access to high-quality PPC, regardless of place of residence. 

“Funded by the European Union. Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Health and Digital Executive Agency. Neither the European Union nor the granting authority can be held responsible for them.”

 

Lees hier de Nederlandse beschrijving

De Europese Joint Action Hope4Kids – Holistic Oncologic Palliative Care for Europe’s Kids -heeft als doel de kinderpalliatieve zorg te versterken en te harmoniseren voor alle kinderen in Europa met een levensbedreigende of levensverkortende aandoening. In heel Europa leven veel kinderen met ernstige, complexe of zeldzame chronische aandoeningen die hun levenskwaliteit aanzienlijk beïnvloeden, en in veel gevallen de levensverwachting kunnen verkorten. Kinderpalliatieve zorg beperkt zich niet tot zorg aan het levenseinde – het is een actieve en holistische aanpak die kan worden geboden vanaf het moment van de diagnose, ongeacht het type of stadium van de ziekte, en naast ziektespecifieke of levensverlengende behandelingen. Het doel van kinderpalliatieve zorg is het voorkomen en verlichten van lijden door middel van de effectieve behandeling van pijn en andere verontrustende symptomen, evenals het bieden van psychologische, sociale en spirituele ondersteuning aan kinderen en hun families. De toegang tot gespecialiseerde kinderpalliatieve zorg in Europa is nog steeds ongelijk verdeeld, en deze zorg wordt vaak pas laat of onvoldoende geïntegreerd in de reguliere zorg. Als gevolg hiervan krijgen kinderen, hun families en informele zorgverleners (zoals leerkrachten) vaak te maken met inconsistente zorg. Hope4Kids biedt een antwoord op deze uitdagingen door middel van een alomvattende en gecoördineerde aanpak. Belangrijke doelen zijn onder meer het in kaart brengen van kinderpalliatieve zorgsystemen in heel Europa; de ontwikkeling van geharmoniseerde, evidence-based richtlijnen voor kinderpalliatieve zorg; de implementatie en evaluatie van vier pilots op meer dan 17 onderzoekslocaties; en de ontwikkeling van onderwijs- en trainingsprogramma's voor zorgprofessionals, ouders en informele zorgverleners. Hope4Kids zal ook een Europees netwerk van kinderpalliatieve zorgprofessionals opzetten en samenwerken met andere Europese projecten. Het Hope4Kids-project heeft een looptijd van 4 jaar en wordt gecoördineerd door het Prinses Máxima Centrum voor kinderoncologie. Het initiatief is gebaseerd op de samenwerking van meer dan 50 partners en meer dan 70 organisaties uit 23 Europese landen. Door deze samenwerking pakt Hope4Kids ongelijkheden aan op het gebied van toegang tot kinderpalliatieve zorg, kwaliteit van zorg en integratie in gezondheidszorgstelsels. Uiteindelijk zal dit ervoor zorgen dat elk kind en elke familie tijdige en holistische kinderpalliatieve zorg kan ontvangen, ongeacht waar in Europa zij zich bevinden.

Linkedin

Linkedin: @JA Hope4Kids

Contact

Contact information: wp2@kinderpalliatief.nl

Partners

International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN)

ICPCN is a global network seeking to improve acces to children’s palliative care. ICPCN’s network includes members in more than 140 countries. Members have access to ICPCN’s newsletter and online resources including educational content in many languages. ICPCN advocates for access and quality of children’s palliative care with the World Health Organization and other global platforms.

ICPCN

European Association for Palliative Care (EAPC)

EAPC is a professional organization “committed to supporting the promotion and development of palliative care throughout Europe and beyond”. Our Center staff frequently attend and present at the EAPC annual conference. In addition they serve in leadership positions and support the administrative work of the EAPC Reference Group for Children and Young People. Our Director, Meggi Schuilling-Otten is currently Chair of the EAPC Reference Group for Children and Young People. This group serves to promote children’s palliative care throughout Europe.

European Association for Palliative Care

Maruzza Foundation

The Maruzza Foundation works to ensure the right to access palliative care for all children who need it. The Maruzza Foundation hosts the Maruzza International Congress in Rome, a major gathering for paediatric palliative care researchers and clinicians.

Maruzza Foundation

Resources

Courageous Parents Network

CPN aims to orient, equip and empower families and others caring for a child with a serious medical condition and provide digital resources and an extensive media library used by families and clinicians.

Center to Advance Palliative Care

The Center to Advance Palliative Care is a US based organization that has supported the growth of palliative care as a specialty clinical service since 1999. Their website offers free resources on pediatric program development, marketing of palliative care, and educational offerings for operations managers and clinicians. Program Development. 

Center to Advance Palliative Care

Childhood Cancer International

CCI is the largest childhood cancer patient support organization, with member organizations in more than 100 countries.

Childhood Cancer International

Together for Short Lives (TFSL)

TFSL is a UK based organization that provides family support (emotional and financial), advocates for children’s palliative care in the UK, and providers resources to clinicians working with children who have life-limiting illnesses. TFSL also hosts an online provider network where clinicians can share expertise with one another.

Research Resources

International News

Don't miss it: EAPC World Congress 2023

An interactive day filled with inspiring speakers.


The EAPC World Congress will take place from 15th – 17th June 2023 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. On Friday June 16th, we  will be talking about pediatric palliative care. Have you already registered? It promises to be an interactive day filled with inspiring speakers. 

Programme

08.00 - 08.45 am - Breakfast with...
We start the day with a breakfast session with Marijke Kars. As a senior researcher she will talk about Advance Care Planning with children and young people, parents and professionals.

09.00 - 10.30 am - Witness to suffering
The first half of the morning will focus on the theme 'Witness to suffering'. Several well-known international speakers will tell you more about:

  • The impact of a child's death on the clinician, by Barbara Sourkes
  • Learning how to respond to suffering, by Stephan Liben
  • The challenge of being vulnerable enough, by Danai Papadatou

11.00 - 12.30 am - Research
Don't miss this! During 6 short presentations you will hear the results of important international research in the field of pediatric palliative care. Such as:

  • A Qualitative Study of How Paediatricians Approach End-of-Life Decision-making for Children with Life-limiting Conditions (Australia)
  • "My Life Is a Mess but I Cope: An Analysis of the Language Children with Life-limiting and Life Threatening Illnesses Use to Describe their Own Condition (UK). 
  • And much more!

1.00 - 2.00 pm - Open lunch meeting of the Task Force
We will begin this open lunch meeting with a Presentation of The Dutch Multi-disciplinary Clinical Practice Guidelines for Paediatric Palliative Care (by Kim van Teunenbroek). Followed by a 15 min discussion and an open meeting, where everyone can network.

2:30 - 4:00 pm - Supporting displaced children
In the afternoon we talk about pediatric palliative care for displaced children.  You'll hear more about:

  • Supporting displaced children with palliative care needs and their families, with Marie Clancy
  • Working with displaced African children with cancer at the end of life, with Claudia Constantino
  • Exploring the palliative care needs of children in refugee settlements in Uganda, with Julia Downing 

4:30 - 6:00 pm - Research
Another 6 short presentations will take place in the afternoon, when you will hear the outcomes of important international research on pediatric palliative care for displaced children. This will include:

  • Developing a Neonatal Referral Pathway to a Specialist Hospice-based Team (UK) and Treatment of Refractory Symptoms
  • Forgoing Hydration and Nutrition in Children at the End of Life (the Netherlands).
  • And much more.

Also, feel free to join us Saturday, June 17, for the breakfast session on Hearing Children's Voices, by Barbara Sourkes (Professor of Pediatrics, Stanford University).

We look forward to seeing you there. Register now.


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