Resources for Families
Here are some of the best links about children’s palliative care. Use our Links Resource on the right hand of the webpage to find even more!
Sick Kids Links:
Palliative and Bereavement Care Service at SickKids has a website with lots of information on community services, resources and books:
http://www.sickkids.ca/ProgramsandServices/Palliative-and-Bereavement-Care/index.html
About Kids Health at SickKids Hospital has a section just for kids: http://www.aboutkidshealth.ca/justforkids/
They also have information on Palliative Care with Premature Infants: www.aboutkidshealth.ca/PrematureBabies/PalliativeCare
Connect with other Kids & Families:
SickKids now offers CarePages, a free Web service for SickKids patients to help them keep in touch with loved ones back home and elsewhere. Check out the link for more information: http://www.carepages.com/sickkids
The Family Legal Health Program (FLHP) is a free legal service located at SickKids Hospital. It serves low-income families whose children receive treatment at SickKids. The program uses legal solutions to address non-medical issues that can impact a child’s health or a family’s capacity to care for their sick child. The FLHP is a service of Pro Bono Law Ontario in partnership with SickKids. Contact: Lee Ann Chapman, Lawyer
Family Legal Health Program
416-813-8063, Room 1109D(Elm)-External use email .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address)
Other Links
Granparents (aunts, uncles) who are raising their grandchildren are entitled (if they qualify financially) to many of the same benefits as parents including:
Canada and Ontario child benefit, ACSD and Temporary Care Assistance under Ontario Works. It does not matter that the grandparents do not have custody.
There is also a special resource for grandparents: http://www.cangrands.com/
A weekly group therapy session for women who have recently suffered a spontaneous late pregnancy loss- Sharon Kirsh:skirsh@mtsinai.on.ca, or call: 416-586-4800 ext.2849. The group will begin Monday, January 25th: 10:00am – 11:30am. Meeting room: MSH, 600 University Avenue, Department of Psychiatry, 9th floor, Room 939.
A baby book in memory of the babies lives who ended too soon: I Will Hold You in My Heart Forever: A Baby Book for Little Angels
http://www.foreverheart.ca/home
A support network for infant loss: Grieve Out Loud- http://grieveoutloud.org/
For over 400 books, videos, and audios to help children and adults through serious illness, death and dying, grief, bereavement, and losses of all kinds visit the Compassion Books website: http://www.compassionbooks.com/store/
Link for female caregivers:
SickKids has partnered with Body Blitz Spa ( a women’s only spa). The program offers complimentary passes to mothers or other female caregivers ie. grandmothers of inpatients an opportunity to take a break from the hospital and/or to help relieve some stress by using the spa’s therapeutic water facilities.
Please visit their website http://www.bodyblitzspa.com for further information. Body Blitz is located at 471 Adelaide St West (Between Spadina and Bathurst).
To inquire about receiving a pass, contact Eva Tassis at (416)813-5758.
Faith’s Lodge:
A place where parents and families facing the serious illness or death of a child can retreat to reflect on the past, renew strength for the present, and build hope for the future.
http://faithslodge.org/
Photo sessions for children (infant- 21) who are dealing or have delt with any type of serious illness, children who have been a part of any type of serious illness resulting in illness or disability, photo sessions for families who have lost children within the last 3 years due to a serious accident or illness, organizations or foundations holding events/ fundraisers for a child or for children suffering from serious illnesses. Visit: http://www.littlestheroesproject.org/
For Siblings:
Expressive Art Therapy Summer Camp- Summer_Camp_Art_Therapy.pdf
Links for Kids:
Check out Band-Aides and Blackboards:
Band- aides and blackboards
Find out more about Post-Pals at:
http://www.postpals.co.uk/
St. Jude’s Children’s Research Hospice has a website for kids:
https://www.cure4kids.org
A new social networking site for teens with cancer:
http://www.teenconnector.ca
For Information on Hospices, check out these websites:
Hospice Toronto offers a Kits for Kids program:
http://www.hospicetoronto.ca/.
The Hospice Ontario website is:
http://www.hospice.on.ca
You can even check out an on-line hospice at Canadian Virtual Hospice:
http://www.virtualhospice.ca
There are two residential hospices for children in Ontario -
The Darling Home for Kids near Milton:
http://www.darlinghomeforkids.ca/
and Roger’s House:
http://www.rogershouse.ca/en
National Links:
Canadian Network for Pediatric Palliative Care (CNPCC)
http://www.cnpcc.ca/
Pediatric Resource Commons (CHPCA)
http://www.peolc-sp.ca/pediatric/english/
International Links:
International Children’s Palliative Care Network
http://www.icpcn.org.uk/
Children’s Hospice International
http://www.chionline.org/
The Association for Children’s Palliative Care
http://www.act.org.uk
Pediatric Oncology Resource Centre for Parents of Children with Cancer
http://www.acor.org/ped-onc
