Today is the day – have you got your hat on? #HatsOn4CPC

Every year the International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) makes a global call to raise awareness of the world’s most seriously ill children. The #HatsOn4CPC campaign this year falls on Friday 11 October 2024.   This is a day of action to show your support for these children and their families and shine a light on the need to end the inequity of children’s palliative care provision around the world.

According to ICPCN’s research, it is estimated that >21 million children need palliative care globally, but only 5% of the children who need this care can access it – children such as Reggie whose story you can read here.

“As a parent, you wear every hat. You make life and death decisions, you make decisions on quality of life, you comfort them through hard times, all while trying to offer them the time of their life. You are everything to them, 24 hours a day, because when your child has a life-limiting illness everything matters, how they spend every minute of their life matters.” (Melissa, Reggie’s mum)

The #HatsOn4CPC campaign aims to provide a united voice for better care for families by advocating for national policies that include a child’s right to access quality palliative care.  ICPCN members and supporters around the world will hold events and proudly wear their hats to demonstrate the many ways that families and professionals care for children with life-limiting conditions and to show their support for the world’s children living with palliative care needs.

“We are delighted to have the #HatsOn4CPC campaign again this year. 2024 marks the 10-year anniversary of the World Health Assembly resolution on palliative care and 10 years on, we want to celebrate how far we have come in developing palliative care for children, but also to raise awareness of the many gaps that exist in various areas. Let us come together once more to raise awareness and advocate for better palliative care services as we try to achieve equity across the world.” (Prof. Julia Downing – Chief Executive, ICPCN)

This year we are sharing the results of our recent mapping of children’s palliative care development around the world and there have been some startling statistics. Too many babies, children and young adults are still missing out on vital children’s palliative care.

To coincide with #HatsOn4CPC we have launched our Transforming Children’s Palliative Care Globally  campaign, enabling people to support ICPCN’s vital work to address the inequities and alleviate the needless suffering of millions of children and their families worldwide. Please donate here or visit our website.

 

Key Statistics on children’s palliative care around the world:

  • 48% of countries are still at the lowest level of children’s palliative care development
  • Only 11% of countries have a national policy for children’s palliative care
  • 50% of children’s palliative care worldwide is funded via national or local government funding. 50% is reliant on grants and philanthropy.
  • 57% of countries do not have access to essential medicines for children.
  • 38% of countries were unable to name one person carrying out essential research in children’s palliative care.
  • Just 32% of countries included children’s palliative care in training for doctors. This fell to 26% for nurses

 

Notes for editors:

What is HATS ON for CPC?

The second Friday in October, which this year falls on Friday 11th October 2024, is a day for raising international awareness of the need for children’s palliative care and the work of children’s palliative care (CPC) services worldwide. The annual campaign is known as HATS ON for Children’s Palliative Care with the hashtag #HatsOn4CPC.

Who is the International Children’s Palliative Care Network?

The International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) is a global network of organisations and individuals and the only international charity dedicated to securing the right of at least 21 million children worldwide living with incurable, life-shortening, and life-threatening conditions to receive palliative care. You can find out more about ICPCN on our website.

Children’s palliative care
Palliative care for children is the coordinated response to the medical, social, emotional, and spiritual suffering of children with life-limiting conditions and their families.  Those eligible for this specialised care include children with cancers and other non-communicable illnesses that are life-threatening, children living with HIV and AIDS, children with certain congenital and genetic conditions, and children living with rare diseases for which there may be no name and no known cure.

Palliative care can, and should, be provided from the time of diagnosis or soon after as it addresses not only physical distress but also emotional and social issues that often accompany such a diagnosis and should be provided alongside treatment aimed at a cure. It aims to provide the child and family with a support system, allowing them the best possible quality of life for as long as possible.

Why do we need Hats on for CPC campaign?

There are still far too many children that are unable to access this essential service, especially in low and middle-income countries (LMICs). We cannot achieve universal health coverage without palliative care, which is also a key component of the right to health and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal for good health and well-being.