Following the very successful ‘Hats on for Children’s Hospice Care’ month long campaign in October of 2014, the International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) has declared the first Friday in October every year to be a day for raising funds and international awareness of the work of children’s hospices and children’s palliative care (CPC) services worldwide. On this day, people around the world will be ask to show their support for and awareness of CPC by making a small donation and wearing a hat to work, school, college or just around the house.
ICPCN have called this awareness raising campaign ‘Hatson4CPC’ with #Hatson4CPC to be used on social media sites. The date for this hat wearing extravaganza in 2015 is Friday, October 2.
The day aims to raise funds for children’s palliative care, but more importantly, to raise awareness of the rights of very sick children with incurable and life-threatening illnesses to receive palliative care.
Explaining the reason for the awareness day, ICPCN’s Chief Executive, Joan Marston, says, “We know that there are in excess of 21 million children in the world who live with a life-limiting illness or condition that will or could drastically shorten their lives and in most instances seriously diminishes any quality of life they could enjoy. Sadly, not even 1% of these children are accessing palliative care services.”
“What services exist are mostly in the developed world. The isolated children’s palliative care programs and services that do exist in the developing world are hopelessly inadequate to meet the overwhelming need,” she added.
The ICPCN encourage as many people as possible to take part in the campaign and would like to enlist the help of everyone reading this to help spread the word to friends and colleagues and to encourage them to wear a hat to work on that day and to donate a small (or big) amount to ICPCN or to any children’s palliative care programs or services within their community.
Participation
It is really very simple to show your support for children’s palliative care while at the same time raising funds for ICPCN or for children’s hospices or children’s palliative care services in your community. The ICPCN website gives the following ideas:
- Download and print the Hatson4CPC Information flyer so that you can let people know all about the day. Take it with you to work to show your boss and colleagues and arrange to have a Hatson4CPC day on Friday, October 2, asking everyone for a donation. To advertise, download and print the poster available as a download on the ICPCN website.
- Take the flyer to your child’s school (or your school, if you are still a child) and ask if they will hold a Hatson4CPC day on Friday, October 2. Students wear a hat to school and give a small donation in return for a sticker.
- If you are a teacher or youth leader, arrange a ‘hat making’ activity, where children get to make their own hats and wear them on the day.
- Arrange a Lunch, a High Tea, or even a Mad Hatter’s Tea Party (whatever tickles your fancy) and invite your friends over. They must wear a hat (of course) and be invited to give a donation.
Find out more about joining in the fun and holding your own ‘Hatson4CPC’ day at: www.icpcn.org/hatson4cpc
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