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CHI Presents 2003 Achievement Awards at 15th World Congress
On Tuesday, September 16, 2003, Children's Hospice International hosted the CHI Achievement Awards luncheon during the 15 th World Congress. At each World Congress, CHI presents these awards to recognize the accomplishments of individuals and organizations within the various specialties of children's hospice and palliative care. The awards are named in honor of renowned individuals who have greatly contributed to past advancements in the field. An unprecedented number of awardees were honored at this year's luncheon, due to an overwhelming number of outstanding nominations, which posed a great challenge to the independent review committee who determined the awards recipients. The 2003 CHI Achievement Awards winners, spanning the globe from Argentina, Belarus, India, Romania, South Africa, and the United States of America, are as follows:
CHARLES A. CORR AWARD FOR LITERATURE
The Charles A. Corr Award for Literature was presented to Dr. Joan Fleitas, Ed.D., R.N. for her development of a website entitled "Band-Aides and Blackboards." This web site is designed to give a voice to children living with serious medical conditions and prominently features their stories, poetry and advice to doctors, nurses, teachers and parents. The web site also includes a virtual tour of a hospital led by hospitalized children and a section called "Pranks You Can Play in the Hospital."
Dr. Fleitas is a registered nurse who has been working with hospitalized children and teens for over 30 years. She also teaches at Fairfield University.
SISTER FRANCES DOMINICA AWARD FOR INNOVATIVE PROGRAM DEVELOPMENT
Due to an unprecedented number of outstanding nominations within this category, the Sister Frances Dominica Award for Innovative Program Development was presented to the following four individuals/organizations:
- Malina Dumitrescu, for her work in establishing the first hospice program in Romania. Ms. Dumitrescu is a founding member of Hospice Casa Sperantei, Romania's first hospice for adults and children, established in 1992. She was also instrumental in securing a donation of land from the Romanian government for an inpatient hospice facility - such a donation was a first of its kind in the country. The facility opened in June 2002 and includes a children's wing designed in the theme of a popular Romanian children's television program.
Ms. Dumitrescu has a background in health administration and was appointed Hospice Casa Sperantei's Executive Director in 1996.
- Dr. Rosa M. Germ, for her efforts to develop pediatric palliative care programs in Argentina. Dr. Germ works to integrate palliative care practices into mainstream medical care, coordinate the Pediatric Palliative Care Committee within the Argentine Society of Pediatrics, and revise the national palliative care standards.
Dr. Germ completed her residency in Pediatrics at Hospital Italiano de Buenos Aires and served as Medical Director of the Prager-Bild Foundation, before joining Hospital Garrahan in 1987.
Dr. Lisbeth Quesada Tristàn, MD accepted the award on behalf of Dr. Germ at luncheon.
- Dr. Javier Kane, for his development of the Pediatric Palliative Care program, a joint endeavor of the University of Texas Health Science Center, CHRISTUS Santa Rosa Children's Hospital, and Methodist Children's Hospital. The Pediatric Palliative Care program is a comprehensive palliative care and end-of-life program that has provided care for over 200 children with life-threatening conditions and their families.
- St. Nicholas Children's Hospice in South Africa. Established in 1998 with a focus on serving children living with HIV/AIDS, the program serves an average of 450 children monthly. St. Nicholas Children's Hospice has developed six community palliative day care centers; four of which are located in informal settlement areas to reach those most in need. These day care centers provide comprehensive health care services for the children, while allowing traditional caregivers (often grandparents or older orphaned siblings) to rest or attend school. St. Nicholas' Sunflower House has been established to provide respite care, pain and symptom management and end-of-life care.
Joan Marston accepted the award on behalf of St. Nicholas Children's Hospice at the luncheon.
EARL A. GROLLMAN AWARD FOR BEREAVEMENT
The Earl A. Grollman Award for Bereavement was presented to Dr. Anna Garchakova for her work in establishing bereavement programs through the Belarussian Children's Republican Oncology and Hematology Centre and Belarussian Children's Hospice. Some of the programs run by these organizations include monthly meetings with parents who have lost a child, a "Summer Camp" psychotherapeutic program, and the "Stand of Memory," located in the chapel of the hospice.
Dr. Garchakova has been the Director of the Belarussian Children's Hospice, the country's first, since 1994.
ELISABETH KÜBLER-ROSS AWARD FOR OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION
The Elisabeth Kübler-Ross Award for Outstanding Contribution was presented to Deepa Muthaiya for her creation of the Dean Foundation Hospice in Chennai, South India in March 1998. With no medical or nursing background, Mrs. Muthaiya brought together a team of doctors and volunteers to care for the dying. The hospice has provided services for nearly 500 individuals and offers all care for free.
Deepa's Aunt, Sobha Chathampally accepted the award on her behalf at the luncheon.
ROBERT A. MILCH AWARD FOR PALLIATIVE PAIN AND SYMPTOM MANAGEMENT
The Robert A. Milch Award for Palliative Pain and Symptom Management was presented to Dr. Joann M. Eland, PhD, RN, FAAN for her development of a tool to measure pain in children who are unable to communicate. With a background in alleviating pain in children with cancer, Dr. Eland developed the Eland Color Tool, which utilizes colors to depict the severity of pain - white representing minimal pain; black representing the worst pain - and a drawing of the body for children to indicate the location of the pain.
Dr. Eland has participated on the World Health Organization's panel that developed pediatric cancer and palliative care guidelines, and has created a course on pain management offered over the Internet to healthcare providers worldwide.
CHI is pleased to be able to recognize the incredible accomplishments of these outstanding individuals with the CHI Achievement Awards. We support their ongoing efforts in furthering our collective mission of providing better care and support for all children with life-threatening conditions and their families worldwide.
Check back soon for 2004 CHI Achievement Awards nomination information.
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