SUNFLOWER – 2023 Q4
We are delighted to share our final update from 2023 highlighting the impact and growing reach of the Sunflower Children's Network.
Join us on Two World Cancer Collaboration's social media to see the impact of the Sunflower Children's Network. And keep and eye out for the next episodes of The Sunflower – Palliative Care Podcast.
Our Vision
The Sunflower Children's Network supports healthcare professionals across South and Southeast Asia. Since it began in 2015, the Sunflower Children’s Network has expanded to include key healthcare centres across India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Bhutan, and the Philippines.
The goal of the Sunflower Children’s Network is to enhance medical care for children with cancer and other serious illnesses. The vision is to make sure that all children and their families can access the best possible care, which will help them to have the best possible quality of life.
New in 2024, Children's Palliative Care Leadership Institute
We are excited to announce the launch of a one-year training and mentorship program in South and Southeast Asia – the Children's Palliative Care Leadership Institute.
The program is designed to bring together a diverse group of emerging healthcare leaders from nursing, medicine, and allied health fields.
A dynamic group of 22 young and emerging leaders in children's palliative care started this program in December. The program will include a two-day workshop at the Hyderabad Centre for Palliative Care, India in February.
COMET – Improving medical education in the Philippines
The Sunflower Children's Network has brought together experts from the University of Ottawa and the National Children's Hospital in the Philippines to develop and deliver a new online course focussed on best practices in medical education. The course is called COMET (Collaborative Online Medical Education Training) and it brings together medical education experts from Canada and the Philippines to learn how to provide high-quality education and training for students and residents.
The course consists of 11 interactive group sessions that will run over the next six months. Participants are exploring new teaching techniques and methods of assessing students to see what they have learned. The goal is to improve the effectiveness of training for residents as well as medical, nursing, and social work students.
A 'Community of Practice' supports clinicians in Nepal and Bhutan
Following up on recent online education ECHO sessions and in-person training provided in Nepal and Bhutan, the Sunflower Children's Network has started a 10-month online Community of Practice ECHO Program for nurses and doctors in both countries.
This program consists of monthly case discussions and teaching with national and international experts. Challenging patient cases are presented by teams from Nepal and Bhutan, allowing them to get support and advice for how best to manage complex cases. After the first session in November, the team from Bhutan noted how much it helped them to discuss cases with experts from India and Canada, who gave guidance about how best to provide on-going care for complex-care patients.
Congrats 2023 graduating Fellows and Welcome 2024 Fellows
The 2023 Pediatric Palliative Care Fellows will graduated on January 11. The graduation ceremony was held online, and included a welcoming ceremony for the five new 2024 Fellows. The event was attended by 40 participants from around the world, including the graduates, new and past fellows, faculty members, Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration volunteers, and executive members.
The 2023 graduating Fellows from left-right: Dr. Biplav Ghimire (Nepal), Dr. Leicel Goyena (Philippines) and Dr. Md Shaidur Rahman (Bangladesh).
The orientation program for 2024 fellows begins in January and we are excited to welcome five new Fellows from South and Southeast Asia.
The 2024 Fellows from left-right: Dr. Avinder Kaur (Malaysia), Dr. Krishnapriya V. (India), Dr. Anuradah Ganigara (India), Dr. Jerry Pua (Philippines), and Dr. Huma Zafar (Pakistan).
Teaching and Mentorship in Nepal and Bangladesh
Recently, Dr. Megan Doherty – Sunflower Children’s Network Program Director – and Rachel Neufeld – a nurse practitioner at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice – visited Nepal and Bangladesh.
In Nepal, Rachel and Megan provided communication skills training for pediatric intensive care nurses, and training for general pediatric and surgical nurses at Kanti Children's Hospital introducing key concepts in pain management and palliative care nursing. They also met with the Hospital Director and the Chief Nursing Officer to discuss the need for a pediatric palliative care outpatient department, nursing fellowships, and higher-level nursing training.
The children's playroom at Kanti Children's Hospital, Kathmandu, Nepal
Photo: Rachel Neufeld/Two Worlds Cancer
In Bangladesh, Megan and Rachel conducted training with residents and nurses from the Department of Palliative Medicine at Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujib Medical University (BSMMU). The session aimed to enhance their communication skills and provide better end-of-life care. They also visited Compassionate Narayanganj – a community-based palliative care program – and met with the Mayor of Narayanganj to discuss plans, including the requirement for a specialized hospital and school for children with disabilities. During their visit, they met with Lilly Nichols, the Canadian High Commissioner, and discussed how best to implement palliative care into Bangladesh's healthcare system.
Dr. Megan Doherty (top left photo) and nurse practitioner Rachel Neufeld (top right photo) at BSMMU. And in the photo above, with doctors, nurses, and care aides with Compassionate Narayanganj – a Sunflower Children's Network partnership project which provides home-based, palliative care to those living in Narayanganj, the sixth largest city in Bangladesh with a population of 2 million.
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As you can see, the last months of 2023 were filled with continuing and new initiatives. We thank you for your continuing support of the Sunflower Children's Network. And we look forward to sharing more news and program impacts through 2024 which is looking to be another busy year as the programs and Network expand.
Sincerely,
Dr. Megan Doherty
Pediatric Palliative Director
Sunflower Children's Network
Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration
Dr. Stuart Brown
Paliiative Care Specialist
Director
Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration
Rizwana Hussain
Programs & Project Manager
Sunflower Children's Network
Two Worlds Cancer Collaboration