Canuck Place Research Initiative advances pediatric palliative care by building knowledge that improves how children with serious illnesses and their families are supported. Our work explores how care can be delivered most effectively over time, with a strong commitment to patient-oriented research that centres the voices and experiences of families. Continuous learning is fostered by identifying and sharing emerging trends and growing areas of research. Together, these efforts strengthen care, spark innovation, and help ensure every child and family receives thoughtful, evidence-informed support.
Our research team plans, executes, and shares pediatric palliative care research projects. This work is guided by the leadership of Dr. Hal Siden, Scientific Director of the Research Initiative and Principal Investigator of the BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute. Dr. Hal’s contributions have helped shape pediatric palliative care into an innovative and evolving field. We’re grateful to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research and PedPalASCNet for their ongoing support of this research since 2004.
Partnerships
We partner and collaborate with likeminded organizations to grow awareness of pediatric palliative care through research.
Among our partners are:
- The Pediatric Palliative Care Research Network (PPCRN), a muti-centre team of researchers and clinicians
- CHILD-BRIGHT Network, a research group made up of partners with lived experience, researchers, clinicians, and policymakers
- BC Complex Kids, a grassroots collective of BC families raising children with both medical complexity and disability
- Canadian Institutes of Health Research (CIHR), Canada’s federal funding agency for health research
- BC Children’s Hospital Research Institute (BCCHRI)
- Children’s Healthcare Canada
- University of British Columbia (UBC)
- Michael Smith Health Research BC, an advocacy group
- International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN)
Patient–oriented research
In pediatric palliative care, patient-oriented research includes partnering with parents who bring essential lived experience and speak to the needs, values, and realities of the children receiving care. Patient-oriented research strategies are an intentional and integral part of all our projects.
Our family advisory council regularly evaluates best practices through study groups, allowing our research team to adjust our research processes accordingly.
Historically, contributions to research were born from ideas and questions that arose from conversations between clinicians, patients, and their families. In the last decade, we have expanded and enriched our strategies to ensure a patient lens is embedded in everything we do. Two parent partners on our team, Laesa Kim and Candice Barrans, have integral leadership roles including contributing as co-investigators on various projects and co-leading parent-oriented initiatives.
What’s new in pediatric palliative care research?
Knowledge Building Circle
The Canuck Place Knowledge Building Circle features guest speakers who are diverse leaders in pediatric palliative care. Speakers may share new research findings or technology that advances pediatric palliative care. The internal group sessions provide an open forum for Canuck Place team members to share ideas and pose clinical questions. When we strive to be curious and commit to learning, we can provide better support for children and families at Canuck Place.
To express interest in contributing, contact the Canuck Place Professional Practice Team or Clinical Educator at 604-731-4847. You can also send an email to [email protected]
TRENDS in pediatric palliative care research
Trends in Pediatric Palliative Care Research (TPPCR) is a newsletter distributed by the Research Initiative. The newsletter features current and relevant literature in pediatric palliative care, supported by citations pulled from a carefully crafted search strategy. The newsletter offers a glimpse into the trends of a small, but growing area of research and includes commentary on a chosen publication by an expert in the field. Issued once a month, TPPCR is read by clinicians, researchers, students, and others interested in the field of pediatric palliative health care.
Virtual research library
Canuck Place hosts an online library with thousands of references relevant to pediatric palliative care that are collected from the TRENDS newsletter. The reference library is accessible via the Zotero platform. Access to full text publications is personally or institutionally dependent.