VIDEO: Local family promotes Palliative Care Week
A local family who avail of the services provided by LauraLynn, Ireland's only children's hospice, have participated in a video promoting Palliative Care Week, which runs from September 8 to 14.
Little Lucy Thompson and her family from Westmeath, who receive care and support from LauraLynn, participated in a video campaign to promote the week. Carla, Lucy's mum, shared: “You, Me and Palliative Care means so much to us as a family. We get to spend precious moments here together at LauraLynn, creating special memories to last a lifetime.”
The annual week run by the All Ireland Institute of Hospice and Palliative Care (AIIHPC) aims to raise awareness and deepen public understanding of palliative care, highlighting its significance in improving the quality of life for individuals with life-limiting conditions, their families, and caregivers. This year’s theme, ‘You, Me and Palliative Care,’ emphasises the importance of palliative care.
Palliative Care Week not only raises public awareness but also offers professionals in the field an opportunity to reflect, learn, and engage in various events. At LauraLynn, several activities are planned for staff and industry professionals.
In honour of the week, LauraLynn have launched a new bereavement resource to offer healthcare professionals tools and information to better support those who are grieving a child. Developed in collaboration with two bereaved families, the resource helps healthcare professionals understand the grieving process and common experiences of parents and families in the days and months after the death of their child.
The week also sees the launch of the new LauraLynn Nurse Graduate Programme which will provide an opportunity for two newly registered children’s nurses to enter into a new and exciting two-year graduate nurse programme commencing Autumn 2024.
In the run up to the important week Liz O’Donoghue, Assistant Director of Nursing at LauraLynn, reflected on her 20 years of experience in children’s palliative care: “Even though the population we care for is small, the impact is huge. It’s about caring for children while they are living, helping them live well. And when the time comes, palliative care ensures they are surrounded by people they know, trust, and are familiar with.”