Frequently Asked Questions
What is the Greek Society for Pediatric Palliative Care?
The Greek Society for Pediatric Palliative Care is a scientific society founded in 2009 in Athens, Greece (registry # 2336/2009), with the basic aim to promote the development of pediatric palliative care for children and adolescents, facing life-threatening and life-limiting illnesses and their families, in our country. It doesn’t offer palliative care services.
Who can become a member?
Every health professional (doctor, nurse, psychologist, psychopedagogist, social worker, physiotherapist, logotherapist, ergotherapist) or other professional / officer ( i. e. teacher, sociologist, anthropologist, priest) who fulfills the following conditions:
- Residence in Greece or Cyprus
- Scientific or professional occupation relevant to the Society’s field or previous participation in the training programs on “Pediatric Palliative Care” (duration 50-100 hours)
- Active participation in the care of children and adolescents with a life threatening illness, at any stage
How can someone become a member?
Provided that you fulfill the necessary conditions you may send with an email at info@ppc.org.gr or via postal service at the Society’s office – Papanikoli 2α, Chalandri, 15232 the following:
- Degree copy, officially certified
- Short CV
- Application Form, including recommendation of two (2) Board members
- The Board, following control of formal and essential qualifications approves or rejects the application in three (3) months from submission
The subscription in the Society costs 10 Euros and the annual fee is 30 Euros. The deposit of the fee can be made:
- At the Society’s office – Papanikoli 2α, Chalandri, 15232
Alpha Bank- IBAN: GR06 0140 1640 1640 0232 0004 525 (Beneficiary: Greek Society for Palliative Care of Children and Adolescents)
What is Pediatric Palliative Care?
“Palliative care for children and young people with life‐limiting conditions is an active and total approach to care from the point of diagnosis or recognition, embracing physical,emotional, social and spiritual elements through to death and beyond. It focuses on enhancement of quality of life for the child/young person and support for the family and includes the management of distressing symptoms, provision of short breaks and care through death and bereavement” (Together for Short Lives 2013).
Is Pediatric Palliative Care beneficial only for children with cancer?
All the neonates, infants, children, adolescents and young adults who suffer of a chronic and serious illness, for which the current medical science does not possess standard therapeutic means, resulting to a stability or progression of the disease can benefit from Pediatric Palliative Care.
Not only children with cancer.
Internationally, four groups of life threatening illnesses have been recognized:
Group 1: Life-threatening conditions for which curative treatment may be feasible, but can fail (i.e. cancer, organ failure of the heart, liver or kidney)
Group 2:Conditions requiring long periods of intensive treatment aimed at prolonging life, but where premature death is still possible (i.e. cystic fibrosis, HIV, hereditary diseases)
Group 3: Progressive degenerative conditions, without curative options, finally fatal (i.e. SMA, neurometabolic disorders)
Group 4: Severe, non-degenerative conditions or disabilities subject to fatal complications (i.e. severe cerebral palsy, brain or spinal cord injury)
Are there any educational programs on Palliative Care available in Greece?
For undergraduate students, Palliative care is weekly taught as obligatory undergraduate lesson in Faculty of Nursing, not only in National and Kapodistrian University but also in University of Peloponnese. It is included neither in the Curriculum of Faculty of Medicine nor in other Health Sciences.
In Greece, there are no postgraduate programs exclusively for Pediatric Palliative Care.
However, there are 2 master’s programs for Palliative Care:
1. Organization and Management of Palliative and Supportive Care for Chronic Diseases
This PostGraduate program constitutes a cooperation between the Faculties of Medicine and Nursing in University of Athens. Graduates of Health Sciences (Medicine, Nursing) and Human Scinces (Psychology, Sociology) from Greek or other foreign recognized Universities and Technical Schools (Nursing, Social Work, Health Visiting and Physiotherapy) can be admitted.
- Oncology Nursing – Palliative Care
This PostGraduate Program is realized from Faculty of Nursing in National and Kapodistrian University of Athens. Applications can be submitted by Graduates of Health Sciences (Nursing, Medicine, Dentistry, Pharmacology), Sociology, Social Anthropology and Psychology Programs.
Are there any available Pediatric Palliative Care services in Greece?
The only available pediatric palliative care service in Greece is “The Pediatric Palliative Care at home-Merimna”. For more information visit the site www.merimna.org.gr