The Congress, hosted by the Maruzza Lefebvre d’Ovidio Foundation in collaboration with the European Association for Palliative Care has as its theme: ‘Every child is treatable: for a more fair and cost effective medicine,’ and will discuss best practices for paediatric palliative care across the world, with a focus on rare diseases.
The Congress will be attended by experts from around the world including USA, Brazil, Japan, South Africa, Israel and the UK. In order to maximize the health and quality of life of children and families affected by life-limiting and life-threatening illness, there is a need for a profound rethinking of how healthcare services are provided for them.
The organizers of the congress cite palliative care as the most appropriate solution: it provides effective, holistic care and represents an essential and irreplaceable aspect of the healthcare approach to the child and family.
In Europe there are currently a number of diverse services in place to provide this kind of care. Some are well established, providing important reference points. Others, more recently set up, are currently being developed. The conference includes a session looking at models of paediatric palliative care in Europe including presentations from:
- Anna Garchakova (Belarus)
- Chantal Wood (France)
- Benjamin Gronwald (Germany)
- Julie Ling (Ireland)
- Franca Benini (Italy)
- Delia Birtar (Romania)
- Father Alexander Tkachenko (Russia)
- Eduardo Quiroga Cantero (Spain)
- Eva Bergsträsser (Switzerland)
- Barbara Gelb (UK)
There will be also testimonies from children and their families on their personal experience of the value of palliative care.
Look out for updates from the Congress on the International children’s edition of ehospice.
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