OKLAHOMA CITY – “The Hospice Foundation of Oklahoma awarded Children’s Hospital Foundation (CHF) $5,000 to be used for bereavement training,” Kathy McCracken, Executive Director, announced today.
“Pediatric Palliative Care is so important for families living in Oklahoma who are facing the loss of a beloved child from a long-term condition, accident or illness. Children’s Hospital Foundation is grateful to Hospice Foundation of Oklahoma for this gift allowing a key member of the palliative care team access to this educational opportunity,” said McCracken. “We appreciate our continued partnership with the Oklahoma City Community Foundation who played an important role in bringing this opportunity to our attention and administering the grant.”
Cari Epperson, LMSW and Palliative Care Social Worker coordinating services with the Pediatric Palliative Care Team will attend training at the Grief Recovery Institute and the Center for Loss later this year. “The Grief Recovery Method, is one of the most comprehensive grief recovery education and certification programs that is out in the market today,” said Epperson. “The training will provide me with an understanding of grief recovery principals and tools to use with bereaved parents. Having this specialized training will allow me to help bereaved parents and family members navigate the grief process and start to recover from their loss.”
Pediatric Palliative Care practices are led by medical professionals specifically trained to work with children, their families and healthcare team when curative care is no longer feasible for the patient. Palliative Care is dedicated to the quality of life for a patient facing a life threatening diagnoses. It is based on need, not the prognosis – early referral to palliative care services benefits everyone, the patient, family, siblings and extended family members.
Children’s Hospital Foundation is a proud partner to the Pediatric Palliative Care Team led by Dr. Rachna May. The team sees patients on a consult-only basis and is available to any family facing the end-of-life challenge.