Literature Review

‘Behind the Blue’: Lindsay Ragsdale on growing pediatric health care and supporting Project ADAMUK Now, University of Kentucky, Lexington, KY; by Allison Perry and Kody Kiser; 2/6/26 From College of Medicine research labs to the halls of UK HealthCare, Lindsay Ragsdale, M.D., has spent much of her career at the University of Kentucky. Now the chief medical officer for Golisano Children’s at UK, she oversees a growing team of specialists and subspecialists dedicated to providing the most complex care for the children of Kentucky. In this episode of “Behind the Blue,” Ragsdale discusses her career at UK, the role of palliative care, the growth of the children’s hospital and her own son’s experience as a pediatric cardiology patient.

Galactic Symphony thrills young hospice patient Lovin' Life; by Lin Sue Flood; 2/1/26 A quiet backyard suddenly burst into song with the stirring brass of John Williams Star Wars theme recently, transforming a regular afternoon into a Galactic Symphony. For 26-year-old Anthony Castle, a lifelong Star Wars superfan, it was like watching the magic of the big screen come to life. Through a unique partnership between Hospice of the Valley and the Phoenix Symphony, six professional musicians arrived at Anthonys home to perform a private medley. To the delight of Anthony who proudly wore his Baby Yoda T-shirt several of the performers arrived in character, dressed as Princess Leia and Luke Skywalker.

[United Kingdom] Parents to open 'virtual hospice' after unit shuts BBC News, London, England, UK; by Chris Slegg; 1/31/26 Families of seriously ill children in east London say they are setting up their own hospice service after being left without adequate care following the closure of local hospice, Richard House. The facility in Newham closed on 18 December despite a campaign by parents to keep it open in December. Parents, working with former Richard House chief executive Paul Richards, now plan to open East London Hospice, in order to provide care to families in their homes. 

Sanofi Collective - Foundation S stands behind transformative children's palliative care project in Kenya Global Treehouse Foundation; Press Release; 1/27/26 A significant grant from the Foundation S - the Sanofi Collective will enable a transformative three-year project delivering comprehensive grief and bereavement care to families affected by childhood cancer in Kenya. This is about more than funding: it’s about ensuring families are seen, supported and not left to navigate their most challenging moments alone. Foundation S’s investment is a significant milestone in integrating grief and social-emotional support into healthcare systems - an area too often overlooked, yet essential to the dignity and well-being of children and those who love them.

Nonprofit donates $100,000 to UVA Health to establish endowment for pediatric palliative care WVIR 29 News, Charlottesville, VA; by Kate Neuchterlein; 1/23/26 The University of Virginia’s Children’s Hospital has received a $100,000 donation from Olivia’s Light, a nonprofit that supports children living with rare diseases and their families. Co-founders Jenna and Ben King named the nonprofit after their daughter, Olivia, who was hospitalized at UVA soon after her birth and diagnosed with a rare and fatal neurodevelopmental disorder. Olivia was sent home at two-and-a-half months old, where she passed away just seven weeks later. 

Palliative care in pediatric phase I oncology trials: A scoping reviewPediatric Blood & Cancer; by Andrea Cuviello, Harisankeerth Mummareddy, Alanis N. Gomez Martinez, Holly Spraker-Perlman, Allison Uber, Jordan Wrigley, Erica C. Kaye; 12/25Clinical trials, particularly Phase I trials that test drug safety and feasibility, are imperative to advance outcomes for children with cancer. These trials, however, pose risks for increased symptom burden and suffering. Early integration of palliative care (PC) during Phase I trial enrollment offers a potential reduction in suffering and improvement in quality of life.  PC integration was associated with earlier hospice enrollment, increased home and hospice deaths, decreased hospitalizations and intensive care unit utilization, improved care coordination, and better symptom management. 

Inside America’s first pediatric palliative care facility, a life-changing model that remains strikingly rare Make It Better Foundation; by Susan Yem; 1/9/26 ... George Mark Children’s House, a Make It Better Foundation 2026 Philanthropy Award winner, is the first pediatric palliative care facility to open in the U.S., and 1250 patients have received respite and end-of-life care there since its founding in 2004. “Facing a child’s death is the worst thing imaginable. There’s no way to take that pain away,” says GMCH Child Life Coordinator Kyle Amsler.  “We try to walk alongside families as best we can and make each day the best possible, however that looks for each family.”

MJHS Hospice brings presents to patients and their siblings Spectrum News - NY-1, Manhattan, NY; by Emma Barnett; 12/30/25 Music, presents and sweet memories are defining this holiday season for the Menendez Pacheco family. Thanks to a special visit by MJHS Hospice, Jasmine Menendez’s twin daughters, Kamyl and Alliyah, got a plush blanket and glow-in-the-dark unicorn bedsheets for Christmas. Menendez says it “warms her heart.”

Carolina Caring Foundation receives $30,000 grant to help families in Burke CountyThe Paper, Morganton, NC; by The Paper Staff; 12/20/25 Burke County families caring for children with serious illnesses will see added support through a $30,000 grant awarded to Carolina Caring Foundation for Cardinal Kids, the region’s pediatric palliative and hospice care program. Carolina Caring Foundation announced it received the grant from Speedway Children’s Charities to help fund services provided through Cardinal Kids. The foundation said this is the third consecutive year Speedway Children’s Charities has selected Carolina Caring Foundation as a grant recipient.

Princess Luz’s final wish Fredericksburg Standard-Radio Post, Fredericksburg, TX; by Tammy Rohlf; 12/24/25Luzmaria Salazar, known to those who loved her as “Princess Luz,” was just 17 years old, but her courage and faith measured far beyond her years. After bravely battling a rare genetic disease that affected her nervous and immune systems, she passed away in June of 2025. One of her last wishes was simple, yet, seemed impossible: She wanted to swim with dolphins. Her mom, Jessica Gurrola, tried to make that dream happen with a trip to SeaWorld, but the experience fell short. That’s when the hospice team stepped in. With the help of a hospice volunteer and virtual reality technology, Luz’s dream came true in a way no one expected. When the headset was placed on her, something extraordinary happened. Her entire body calmed. ... 

Hospice of Michigan receives $10,000 grant for pediatric hospice care Ludington Daily News, Manistee, MI; 12/20/25Hospice of Michigan has received a $10,000 grant from the Manistee County Community Foundation to support its Jo Elyn Nyman Anchors Programs for Children, which provide specialized pediatric hospice care for children with life-limiting illnesses and their families. The grant will help fund medical, emotional, social and spiritual support services delivered through the not-for-profit’s pediatric hospice programs. Hospice of Michigan is the only statewide hospice provider offering specialized pediatric hospice care services in northeast Michigan.

[Asia] Bridging paediatric palliative care across Asia ehospice; 12/16/25 Global Treehouse and Asia Pacific Hospice Palliative Care Network (APHN) partnered together for dramatic expansion of the Magnify Tool to make impacts for children’s palliative care providers during 2025. We culminated our work together at the International Children’s Palliative Care Network (ICPCN) conference in Manila, Philippines. Co-hosted by our organisations, we presented about the power of using the Magnify Tool, a resource designed for and by providers to use their own data to improve the quality of care they offer to children and families with palliative care needs. 

[United Kingdom] Children's hospice to shut days before Christmas BBC News, London, England; by Amy Clarke; 12/12/25 A children's hospice that has supported children living with complex life-limiting conditions for 25 years is due to close just days before Christmas. Richard House in Newham, east London, provides specialist care to more than 300 families - offering services such as residential care, transition from hospital to home, bereavement support and end-of-life care.