Palliative Care is not just a palliative. It’s not synonymous of terminal care.
It’s a global approach to illness that addresses physical, emotional, spiritual, and social concerns that arise with advanced illness. It aims to control symptoms and relieve pain, providing a better quality of life, attention and care, through specific age appropriate assistance.
RELIGIONS OF THE WORLD CHARTER FOR CHILDREN'S PALLIATIVE CARE
For the first time ever, representatives of the main religion’s of the world, leading paediatric palliative care specialists, human rights experts, and young patients and their families gathered in the Vatican to draft and undersign a charter in support of children's palliative care.
The Religions Of The World Charter For Children's Palliative Care is a universal declaration by all faiths that children's palliative care provides the best solutions for all children and young people affected by life-threatening and life-limiting disease, and, further, that access to palliative care services should be a right.
There are more than 20 million children worldwide affected by serious illness with palliative care needs. It is imperative that all these children and their families are guaranteed the right to access appropriate care that encompasses emotional and spiritual support.
The Charter is making an important journey around the world to be endorsed by the world’s religions and raise awareness of the importance of children’s palliative care.
The Charter has recently been the ‘Guest of Honour’ at events in:
I will do all within my power so that every child with a life limiting or a life-threatening illness has access to paediatric palliative care.
Paediatric Palliative Care is the best approach for all children and young people suffering from a life-threatening and/or life-limiting disease.
Collectively, we have the opportunity and awareness to advocate for child-specific palliative care and for its provision as an integral part of the health care system of every country in order to relieve the suffering of vulnerable children with life-threatening and life-limiting illness.
