New EU-Funded HOPE4Kids Project Officially Launched

The pediatric palliative care team at Sant Joan de Déu Hospital (HSJD) and its affiliated entity, Fundació Sant Joan de Déu (FSJD), recently took part in the kick-off meeting of the HOPE4Kids (Holistic Oncological Palliative Care for Europe's Kids) project (GA 10123307). The event, held in Amsterdam, brought together 140 professionals and representatives from participating organizations. HOPE4Kids connects 70 organizations from 23 European countries with the shared mission of transforming palliative care for children with cancer and their families. The initiative, a European Union Joint Action coordinated by the Princess Máxima Center, has been funded with €12 million and will run for four years.

Each year, 25,000 children are diagnosed with cancer in Europe. For many of them, pediatric palliative care provides essential support that complements oncology treatment from the outset. Yet, in numerous European hospitals, healthcare remains primarily focused on cancer treatment, while specialized palliative care is often insufficient or inconsistent.

HOPE4Kids was created to address this gap by:

• Facilitating knowledge exchange across countries
• Developing evidence-based European clinical guidelines
• Piloting best practices and practical tools for healthcare providers and families (therapeutic groups, shared decision-making, health digital support, and the use of an individual care plan)
• Training for healthcare professionals, educators, and caregivers

Dr. Lucia Navarro and Dr. Sergi Navarro lead the HSJD team of healthcare experts in pediatric palliative care who will, among other activities within the project, coordinate and oversee the activities of Work Package 7 (WP7). The aim of WP7 is to ensure the feasibility and scalability of the Joint Action's outputs through the establishment of four pilot interventions connected to the six cross-cutting themes of the project. These interventions will be implemented and evaluated through 23 pilot projects in eight European countries, ensuring scalability and adaptability to diverse settings and contexts across Europe.

The project brings together researchers, healthcare professionals, policymakers, and parent organizations. Its consortium includes 20 research institutions, 21 hospitals, and three family associations. In addition to Sant Joan de Déu, Spain contributes a total of six beneficiary entities and their ten affiliated organizations.