Grief, Loss, and Bereavement – A Reflection
This reflection on her own losses, practice, and learning was written by Dr Lauren O'Brien after completing the PatchSA 9-month Comprehensive Course on Paediatric Palliative Care in 2025. I have had a few losses in my life. The most significant was that my beloved father died of Colon Cancer when I was 22 yrs old. I also have a [...]
For every child with serious health-related suffering – Palliative Care is a Human Right
Author: Joan Marston Today is World Human Rights Day with the theme: Our Rights, Our Future, Right Now. On this day, global palliative care advocate, Joan Marston, writes: For every child with serious health-related suffering - Palliative Care is a Human Right. Palliative care for children to relieve serious health-related suffering is recognised as a human right. Included [...]
The life and death of Lirie van der Merwe
How an early palliative care referral could have changed things This blog by Mauriche van der Merwe is written with raw honesty and describes the tenuous and precious life of her daughter, Lirie, and their experience through her unnecessarily traumatic end of life. Please be aware that it will and should be upsetting to all readers, but it is [...]
Our journey to Butterfly Palliative Home
In this blog, Tarryn Bell, co-founder of Butterfly Palliative Home in Ingwavuma, recounts her and husband Christoff's inspirational journey to the establishment of Butterfly Palliative Home, the only in-patient children's hospice in KZN. My husband Christoff and I moved from Cape Town thirteen years ago to a small hospital close to Sodwana Bay called Mseleni Hospital to pursue careers [...]
Cancer is a disease, not a military campaign
Cancer is a disease, not a military campaign: Changing the narrative Research has shown that the ubiquitous use of war metaphors when referring to cancer is not helpful and could cause harm by instilling fear in people who delay reporting symptoms. In this blog Bonni Suckling (Jed's mom) explains how the words we choose to talk to children and [...]
In palliative care we have the unique privilege to plan for death
Research has shown that when a child dies, the place of their death may have lasting consequences for the parents during the bereavement process. In this blog, Bonni Suckling, mother to Jed and founding member of Rainbows and Smiles, describes why home was the best place for her 6-year-old son to die. I feared Jed dying his entire life [...]
Before and After learning about Paediatric Palliative Care
In this powerful and deeply personal written narrative, Samantha Jiri, a medical doctor, gives excerpts from her journalling through her palliative care journey. She shares stories of two patients and their mothers- before and after learning about and applying palliative care principles. Samantha went on to graduate Cum Laude in the Post Graduate Paediatric Palliative Care Diploma (UCT). A [...]
Benjamin’s story
Angie, Anton and Abigail Hawkes share the story of how palliative care supported them through the last weeks of Benjamin's life. Benjamin Hawkes was just 10 years old when he was diagnosed with Osteosarcoma (bone cancer) and over the next ten months he underwent chemotherapy, limb salvage surgery and radiation therapy. A clear PET scan at the end of [...]