„The essence is communication – for children, parents, and the entire care team.”
- infovlastovka
- Oct 16
- 2 min read
Last week, two of our swallows took part in the ICPCN course – Introduction to Children’s Palliative Care.
Both of them (Šárka on the left in the photo, Klára on the right) are happy to share their experiences:
Šárka’s experience
The course was very inspiring for me, both professionally and personally. I’m leaving mainly with a kind of manual for finding answers to difficult questions. It’s surprising how much impact a well-intentioned response can have. I also realized that palliative work has its own specific time and space. It changes one’s life priorities and values — even seemingly trivial things can play an important role in it.
It was almost unbelievable that, despite the heaviness of the topic, humor, lightness, and tenderness kept appearing throughout the course. It was an experience just to be among people who are not afraid to go through emotionally demanding processes — because they don’t see palliative care only as pain, fatigue, frustration, and other difficulties, but also as kindness, understanding, care, and many other forms of lightness.
Klárka’s experience
The Children’s Palliative Care Course with Jana and Honza Hálek was a deeply moving and very human experience for me. I liked that it was built on sharing and involving all participants. Thanks to the experiences of healthcare professionals from different places, I was able to glimpse the reality of children’s palliative care in our country — both the challenges and the progress being made thanks to wonderful people.
The topic of serious illness and the death of children is a big taboo, which is why it’s important to learn how to open it up. The essence is communication – for children, parents, and the entire care team. I’m taking away many practical tips on how to talk about difficult topics sensitively and with respect.
We would like to thank the lecturers and the Pallium Institute for an excellent course that helps us care better for families with seriously ill children and communicate more effectively with other members of the care team.
