Sister Frances Dominica, who founded Helen House in 1982, played a key role in establishing Japan’s first children’s hospice during a visit to the Yodogawa Christian Hospital in October 2009.
A friend of Empress Michiko, Sister Frances asked hospital officials about the possibility of creating a hospice for children. Masayo Kidani, another friend of Michiko, also pushed for the creation of such a hospice in Japan.
The children’s hospice has been set up on the second floor of a five-story annex near the main hospital building. There are 12 private rooms, as well as rooms where the children can study and play.
Six of the private rooms are designed for children receiving end-of-life care and their family members to stay at the hospice, while the other six rooms are for respite for children and families caring for children with more long term life limiting illnesses.
Full-time doctors and nurses will be available at the hospice and there are plans to establish similar facilities for children in Kobe and Kanagawa Prefecture.
You can read more about Japan’s first children’s hospice in the International edition of ehospice and at The Asahi Shimbun website
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