We humans need hope. To persevere. To change. To persevere. And to say goodbye. For dreaming. But especially for real life.
With this quote, the SIOPE Palliative Care Working Group would like to invite you to reflect on the topic of hope. In paediatric oncology and in supporting children and their families, we are constantly confronted with hope. You may have already asked yourself these questions: How much hope do I, as a healthcare professional, convey to parents at diagnosis when the child has an incurable prognosis? How can I find a good balance between the right dose of hope?
As healthcare professionals, how long can we "allow" parents and their caregivers to have hope? How important is hope for mental and physical health? Or, from the point of view of the families concerned: Can I allow hope at all in the face of an incurable diagnosis?
With these thoughts the SIOPE Paediatric Palliative Care Working Group would like to draw your attention to the joint session with the SIOPE Psychosocial Working Group and CCI Europe at the upcoming SIOPE Annual Meeting in Milan. The session will deal with this important topic through inspiring input and discussion. We would be delighted to welcome a large number of participants!