Put on a hat for children’s palliative care

The International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) has declared the second 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 services worldwide. 

As a sign of your support for and awareness of children’s palliative care you are asked to wear a hat to work or school on that day.

Children’s palliative care (CPC) is holistic care that responds to the unique physical, emotional, social and spiritual needs of a child with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness and that of the child’s family. 

The child’s pain and symptoms are relieved while appropriate social, emotional and spiritual support is given to enable the child to enjoy the best possible quality of life. 

It can be provided alongside treatments aimed at cure but also supports the child and family at the end of life with bereavement care provided for as long as it is needed. 

This specialised care is delivered by a dedicated team of people, many of whom wear diverse and many different hats!

Hats on 4 CPC will be held on Friday 14 October 2016. It aims to raise awareness of the rights of very sick children to receive palliative care. 

We know that each year 1.2 million children die from and over 21 million children in the world live with a life-threatening or life-limiting illness or condition that seriously diminishes their quality of life. 

At present less than 1% of these children have access to children’s hospices or palliative care services.

Now into our third year of holding the Hats on 4 CPC day, ICPCN hopes to have an even greater reach and raise more funds than in previous years. 

Calling for support from around the world for this awareness day, Joan Marston, ICPCN’s Chief Executive said: “We wear a hat to protect us from the sun or to make us look good. 

“With children’s palliative care our goal is to protect children as much as possible from the effects of their illness while bringing as much joy and beauty into their lives as we can. 

“By wearing a hat on Friday 14 October you will be part of a worldwide movement to reduce children’s suffering and to bring beauty and compassionate care into their short lives.”

Get involved in Hats on 4 CPC by clicking here for stickers, posters, flyers and other materials or alternatively contact us at media@icpcn.org and we will send you contacts of your nearest participating children’s hospice. 

If you are motivated to do more to raise awareness for these children, you can encourage your workplace, school or business to get involved. 

Alternatively get creative and host your own ‘Mad Hatter’s Tea Party’, or luncheon. Be sure to take photos and tag us using #hatson4cpc.

Wear a hat for children’s palliative care on Friday 14 October and show your support for all children with life-limiting illnesses.