When a child or teen is diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, the associated physical, emotional, and spiritual challenges can be overwhelming. Hospice & Community Care’s Sunflower Pediatric Program offers specialized pediatric care and comfort designed around the unique needs of children and teens with serious illness and their families. Hospice & Community Care aims to enhance a child’s or teen’s quality of life through relief of pain and burdensome symptoms, such as nausea, anxiety and agitation. The Sunflower team provides constant communication and care coordination with patient’s parents, caregivers, and existing healthcare team. The team also provides an extra layer of emotional, spiritual, and psychosocial support for patients and their families.

Hospice & Community Care’s goal is to promote the best possible quality of life for children and teens at any age, with full support provided to the family, including siblings, extended family, and caregivers. Services offered through the Sunflower Pediatric Program can start at the time of a serious illness diagnosis and continue alongside disease-directed therapies, providing optimal support and symptom management during active treatment – even when cure is the goal. Care is closely coordinated with the patient’s pediatrician or specialist to create a personalized plan of care, which can be provided at a family’s home, long-term care residences, the hospital, or Hospice & Community Care’s Bob Fryer & Family Inpatient Center.

Hospice & Community Care’s Sunflower Pediatric Program focuses on:

• Enhancing a patient’s quality of life by reducing physical, emotional, and spiritual pain and distress;
• Providing compassionate psychosocial and spiritual support for the entire family;
• Partnering with a child’s or teen’s parents, caregivers, and medical specialists to ensure seamless communication and care coordination; and
• Facilitating opportunities for children, teens and families to create meaningful memories.

All members of Hospice & Community Care’s Sunflower team have specialized training in addressing the unique needs of children and teens living with serious illness. Click here to meet the Sunflower Pediatric team members.

Additional bereavement resources to support parents, siblings, and extended families – both before and after the loss of a child, are available through Hospice & Community Care’s Pathways Center for Grief & Loss.

Hospice & Community Care has been caring for children and teens since 1980. For more information, call (877) 777-5559.

“I was asked ‘why now?’ for hospice care. The answer is hard to put into words. Peace. I want my son to die peacefully. Hospice & Community Care helped me to let go of ‘nurse mommy’ and be just mommy. I am truly thankful. Having a pediatric doctor available for home visits and nurses that understand kids is beyond helpful. They work hand in hand with [other pediatric programs] which is a dream come true because we already have a trust built in the hospital.” ~Jean, Patient Family

 

Thank you for your support!

In 2015, the artisans and craftsmen of Viocity Group, a family of companies, created metal butterflies which quickly became recognized as a symbol of peace and hope. As the popularity of these butterflies grew, the company started to see that they had a larger purpose. In 2017, the company formed HOPE in the AIR. Since its creation, HOPE in the AIR and its supporters have met some amazing individuals and together they have helped provide hope through this effort. This year, Hospice & Community Care’s Sunflower Pediatric Program has been selected as HOPE in the AIR’s 2022 cause. Hospice & Community Care is delighted to have its Sunflower Program join the list of worthwhile endeavors that HOPE in the AIR has supported over the last five years. Viocity Group has been a tremendous supporter of Hospice & Community Care for more than 30 years. Their support of the Sunflower Program will directly help to provide personalized, quality care and comfort at home for seriously ill children, teens and their families in our community. To learn more about HOPE in the AIR, visit www.hopeintheair.org.