知恵は分けるほど増える – “Wisdom grows when shared."
Last month, our Medical Director, Dr Emily Harrop, and Kalie Griffiths, Specialist Palliative Care Midwife, travelled to Japan to share expertise and collaborate with colleagues delivering children's palliative care. The visit was made possible through former Helen & Douglas House volunteer and clinical fellow, Dr Kanako Takeda, whose ongoing connection with the hospice helped create this unique opportunity.
The trip began at the Congress of the Japanese Society for Palliative Medicine, where Emily and Kalie spoke to hundreds of delegates about the development of Helen House and specialist palliative midwifery. They then visited Yodogawa Christian Hospital and Children's Hospice in Osaka, exchanging ideas with nursing teams and delivering a lecture on collaboration between hospices and maternity services.
Their final stop was Momiji House Children's Hospice in Tokyo whose foundation, long-time supporters of Helen & Douglas House, generously funded the trip. There, they met children and families and explored the hospice's beautiful facilities and creative play spaces.
Reflecting on the visit, Dr Emily says:
"This trip was truly transformational. Like us, our Japanese colleagues are working tirelessly to improve care for children who need palliative support and for their families.
We are incredibly grateful to everyone across Helen & Douglas House who helped make the visit possible and for sourcing gifts for our hosts. A special thank you to Kanako for bringing this opportunity to life. I look forward to continuing these friendships and professional connections for years to come."
The trip was a powerful reminder that, wherever we are in the world, sharing knowledge and learning from one another helps us provide the very best care for children and families.
Since the trip, Kanako, Emily and their colleagues have had a scientific paper accepted in the Journal of Palliative Medicine entitled 'Communication and Relationships in Paediatric Palliative End-of-Life Decision Making in the UK and Japan', which will further consolidate our shared learning and offer it to a wider audience.