Casa Arara Azul is a new provider, created to address the need for paediatric palliative care in Brazil. We are founding a specialised center in São Paulo to support children and their families during various moments of their illness journey. Our goal is to promote comprehensive care, improved quality of life and comfort for children and adolescents with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions, alongside their families. Our vision extends to becoming a hub for training and education in paediatric palliative care, while also fostering research and innovation in this critical field.
Casa Arara Azul launched the first edition of a Primary Approach Course in Pediatric Palliative Care for Health Professionals — a hybrid training designed to build foundational knowledge and strengthen clinical practice across professional roles.
With an intention to introduce, clarify and demystify paediatric palliative care (PPC), the nine-week course ran from March to May 2025 and welcomed a diverse group of over 60 participants — including doctors, nurses, nursing assistants, physiotherapists, psychologists, nutritionists, occupational therapists and other leaders. The accessible format combines online recorded and live sessions, self-directed reading and a full-day in-person retreat-style session, totalling 35 hours of training. The course was intentionally priced affordably at R$80 Brazilian Real to ensure accessibility to healthcare professionals who haven’t yet had the opportunity to study, or touch seriously ill children and their families in their care work.
The curriculum followed a progressive weekly structure, covering core areas such as:
- PPC principles and referral pathways
- Pain and symptom management
- Psychological and spiritual care
- Communication and shared decision-making
- Ethics in end-of-life care
- Global perspectives on PPC
Renowned Brazilian interdisciplinary clinicians and scholars led the weekly modules, including Dr. Cintia Cruz, Dr. Ana Cristina de Castro, Dr. Silvia Barbosa, Luciana Dadalto, Vivian Santana and others. Erin Das of Global Treehouse contributed a session on Interdisciplinary PPC Around the World.
The in-person day was a highlight. The course showcased experiential learning in communication skills, team-based care planning and integrative self-care strategies, including activities that allowed participants to reflect on themselves, discuss their experiences and connect with nature as a moment of respite. In the afternoon, nurse Loïs Roussel focused on a critical but often overlooked area in PPC, mental health and resilience for healthcare providers. Dr. Denise Tiemi led a nature-based self-care module, bringing to life Casa Arara Azull’s deep belief that nature experiences are critical for providers, patients and families, as a reminder of the interconnected web of life.
This pilot course demonstrates how locally grounded and globally informed training can build capacity and confidence among healthcare professionals caring for children with serious illnesses. Casa Arara Azul values democratising knowledge in pediatric palliative care to increase access to holistic and high-quality care. Plans for future iterations are underway, with hopes to expand the reach and deepen the program’s impact. If you are a Portuguese-speaking healthcare provider, please email ensino@ararazulcasa.com.br to stay in the loop about future opportunities.
Author
Thayná Leones de Almeida
Casa Arara Azul, Sao Paulo, Brazil
(See the video below for a few details about the course and the in-person training day that took place with other professionals. English subtitles).
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