Golden Butterflies Children’s Palliative Care Foundation, in partnership with Madras School of Social Work College, Chennai organised a transformative event—the ‘Palliative Care Hackathon 2024’—in commemoration of World Hospice & Palliative Care Day. The hackathon aimed to address critical challenges in palliative care, particularly focusing on paediatric patients in Tamil Nadu. The event was not only a competition but a movement to inspire young minds to rethink healthcare and innovate for a cause that touches lives deeply.
Why the Hackathon Matters
Palliative care, especially for children, remains underdeveloped in many parts of Tamil Nadu, with significant gaps in awareness, accessibility, and cultural acceptance. By bringing together students from diverse disciplines—social work, healthcare, technology, and beyond—Golden Butterflies aimed to harness fresh perspectives that could lead to impactful, real-world solutions. We believe that students, with their creativity and energy, are well-positioned to challenge existing norms and develop interventions that can drive social change.
The hackathon saw enthusiastic participation from students of various colleges and disciplines, particularly from BSW and MSW programs. By welcoming a multidisciplinary approach, the event encouraged collaboration across fields, recognising that the complexity of palliative care requires solutions that combine medical, social, technological, and community-based strategies. This diversity ensured that the solutions were not only innovative but also holistic, addressing the multifaceted challenges faced by patients and their families.
Highlights of Innovative Solutions
Participants presented an array of forward-thinking solutions, showcasing their passion and creativity. Key highlights included:
- Integrating Primary Healthcare with Paediatric Palliative Care:
An approach to bridge the gap between primary care centres and palliative care units, ensuring early intervention and continuous support for children and their families. - Nanmaiyudan Niraiya (Completing with Grace):
A culturally sensitive model designed to deliver compassionate, respectful, and dignified care, ensuring that end-of-life care is a fulfilling and comforting experience for children and their families. - Mobile Palliative Care Units: Care at Your Doorstep:
To tackle the accessibility issue in rural areas, this proposal focused on deploying mobile units equipped with essential resources to deliver care directly to communities, making palliative care more accessible and inclusive. - AI Tools for Palliative Care:
Leveraging technology, participants showcased how AI could enhance patient care by personalising treatment plans and streamlining diagnostic processes, paving the way for a new era in palliative care.
A Multidisciplinary Approach for Lasting Impact
The event also highlighted the importance of community engagement and sustainability in palliative care:
- Education and Outreach:
Participants developed strategies for creating educational programmes and awareness campaigns to train healthcare providers and empower communities, ensuring that palliative care knowledge reaches every level of society. - Sustainable Models for Long-term Impact:
The hackathon promoted ideas focused on community-based models, engaging local caregivers and volunteers to establish a network of support that is both sustainable and scalable.
A Commitment to Ongoing Innovation and Impact
This hackathon is not a one-time event; it’s the start of an ongoing process. Golden Butterflies is committed to nurturing and developing the ideas that emerged, offering continued mentorship and support to participants who wish to implement their proposals. The foundation believes that by engaging the next generation of changemakers, it can build a movement where innovative solutions drive the transformation of palliative care in Tamil Nadu and beyond.
The winners were awarded cash prizes and e-certificates, recognising their contributions and encouraging them to take their projects further. This is just the beginning—Golden Butterflies is focused on scaling this initiative and making the hackathon an annual platform for young minds to contribute meaningfully to palliative care.
The long-term vision is clear: to create a culture where palliative care is understood, accepted, and readily accessible to all, regardless of location or socioeconomic status. By involving youth from various fields, the foundation is fostering a new generation of leaders who will continue to champion and innovate within this critical area of healthcare.
Looking Ahead
The success of the Palliative Care Hackathon 2024 demonstrates that when students are empowered and given a platform to innovate, they can come up with transformative solutions. Golden Butterflies remains dedicated to supporting these efforts, ensuring that the ideas born out of this event have the resources and guidance needed to make a lasting impact.
By making this an annual tradition, Golden Butterflies envisions a future where palliative care is synonymous with compassion, accessibility, and dignity for every child and family in need.
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