IPPC Retreat

	May 21- 23, 2007
	Location: The University of New England, Portland, Maine
	Host: The Jason Program and The University of New England
	IPPC educational retreats are designed for interdisciplinary teams of practitioners and bereaved family members from hospitals, hospice and home care organizations, neonatal units, community coalitions, and other groups serving children and families. Participants are given the opportunity to facilitate sessions from the IPPC curriculum in a train-the trainer format, while also learning from our outstanding national faculty. Faculty members are pediatric palliative care leaders specially trained in a collaborative and interdisciplinary approach to professional education. Plenary sessions tailored to regional needs and issues afford participants the opportunity to network with colleagues in their region.
	Download the Registration Packet
	For more information: view the IPPC site or contact us

Grahamtastic Connection Earns 6 Who Care Award

	Sponsored by WCSH6 Television, in partnership with the United Way of Greater Portland and TD Banknorth, 6 WHO CARE is a celebration of outstanding volunteers in our community. The 2006 Awards were presented at an invitational gala ceremony October 18 at the Marriott Hotel in South Portland. Leslie Morissette, the founder of Grahamtastic Connection, received an award for her efforts that provide laptops to hospitalized children with cancer. 6 Who Care noted:
	Leslie has created a program that helps kids in the hospital retain an important connection to the outside world. Leslie Morissette of Springvale, (nominated by Joanne Lombardi) has founded a unique non-profit organization. Called Grahamtastic Connection, in honor of her young son who passed away in 1998 from leukemia, GC provides free computers and Internet connection to children battling life-threatening illnesses. When Graham became ill, instead of school, friends, and activities, Graham's life was filled with hospitals, doctors, and medications, and due to his frail immune system, social isolation. Leslie discovered that the Internet has become an important connection by which sick children can continue their relationships outside their hospital bed, and by which parents can learn more about their child's illness. Leslie has created a network of dedicated donors of laptops, shipping services, and technical services to support GC so that other families have this connection, no matter their financial situation.
	View Leslie's page on WSCH6.com, where you can also see a video of her program and its inspiration.
	We extend our congratulations to Leslie for her efforts and compassion.

Safety Issues in Pediatric Patient-Controlled Analgesia by Proxy

	Author - Gary Allegretta, MD
	View the website, Pediatric Pain Letter

Meet Rebecca Willy, MS, CCLS

Greg Burns, RN, honored by ELNEC

Dear Greg, In reviewing your many accomplishments over the past year in disseminating the ELNEC-PPC curriculum, we would like to honor you and 5 other ELNEC-PPC participants for the outstanding job they have done in promoting excellent pediatric palliative care. Thank-you for the many hours you have spent in training patients, families, nurses and other members of the interdisciplinary team. To honor you, we will announce this in the Summer '05 ELNEC Connections newsletter. Again, thank-you, Greg, for the outstanding work you have done and are continuing to do in pediatric palliative care. Pam Malloy, RN, MN, OCN ELNEC and Secretary's Award Projects Director American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN) One Dupont Circle, NW, Suite 530 Washington, DC 20036-1120 Voice Mail: 202-463-6930, Ext. 238; Fax: 202-785-8320; e-mail

This spirit of giving comes from inside

Instead of originating at the North Pole, many Christmas gifts for needy local families are made in a different workshop: the one inside Maine State Prison. Inmates in the prison's industries program are the toymakers, crafting drag racers, wooden games and other items to brighten up Christmas morning for local children...In addition to giving to the Salvation Army, the Long-Timers Group also donated gifts to the Jason Program, a Saco-based juvenile hospice organization that aids families with critically ill children. The program received donations of memory boxes for families that had recently lost a child.

Dr. Eastman is a ChiPPS educator

The education committee is one of several work groups under the auspices of ChiPPS (Children’s Project on Palliative/Hospice Services), a pediatric palliative care committee through the National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization. If you’d like more information about ChiPPS or our workgroups contact Sue Huff, MSN  or Stacy Orloff, Ed. D., LCSW , ChiPPS co-chairs. Education committee members are: Alan Johnson, David Sine, Debbie Stitzer-Brame, Donna Armstrong, John Saroyan, Kate Eastman, Kate Faulkner, Kevin Hamann, Melissa Borth, Nathan Ionascu, Sandy Macomber, and Stacy Orloff.

Two Review Articles from ChiPPS/NHPCO

	Pharmacologic Pediatric Pain Management
	Pediatric Pain FAQs from NHPCO

New website for Grahamtastic Connection

I started this nonprofit organization in honor of my son, Graham Morissette, who lost his battle to cancer in December 1997. My son loved to e-mail his friends, surf the net, and play games on our computer. As a parent, I also found a lot of valuable medical information on the Internet, including Leukemia research and cancer trials offered by the National Institute for Health. After my loss, it occurred to me that there are families struggling with childhood illnesses that do not have computers & Internet access available in their homes or hospital rooms. I am a true believer that the Internet is no longer a luxury, it is a necessity to us all, especially to children battling life threatening diseases. Leslie Morissette, President

With deep appreciation for the donors to the 2003 Annual Appeal

Jason Program receives PACC grant (Program for All-Inclusive Care for Children and Their Families™ (CHI PACC®) from Children's Hospice International.
You can read about it here.

Richard D. Tryon, M.Div. completes his research project, "Stakeholder Evaluation of Services for Children Who Are Critically Ill and Dying and Their Families"

In an effort to define the needs of our population and improve our program, Mr.. Tryon recently completed an exhaustive compilation of the opinions and feelings of many Jason Program stakeholders. In completing his task, Mr. Tryon also eloquently enlightens us on the power of our families' experiences. This information is useful not only to growing pediatric palliative care programs, but to anyone who wishes to better understand the trials and successes of our children and families. You can view the report here in Acrobat format (pdf).

Read about Walden's Walk, our most recent event

Please welcome Richard D. Tryon, M.Div., our new Bereavement Coordinator

Please welcome Tracy Downing, LCPC-C, CCLS, our new Volunteer Coordinator

JP Receives Common Good Grant from Bowdoin College

Celebrity dinner dishes out support for worthy cause

With our deepest thanks to the Greenleaf family and the Camden Police and Fire Departments

Southern Maine Medical Pediatric Department Recommendations for Newborn Pain Management and Assessment

Please welcome Shelley MacQuinn, our child life specialist, to the Jason Program. You can lean about her experience and contact her here.

National Group Gives Maine Mixed Ratings on End-of-Life Care
 

High Marks for State Advance Directive Policies, Number of Trained Physicians; Low Grades for Hospital Services and Hospice Use

On 11/18, the Last Acts coalition held a news conference in Washington, D.C. to release the first-ever "report card" on end-of-life care across the United States. For each state and the District of Columbia, the report offers a set of ratings on eight measurement criteria including: state advance directive policies; location of death; hospice use; hospital end-of-life care services; ICU care at the end-of-life; pain in nursing homes; state pain management policies; and palliative care-certified physicians and nurses. The state- by-state analysis paints a statistical portrait of the availability and use of good end-of-life care. The rating system allows for a comparison between states on the measurement criteria, thus identifying strengths and weaknesses. The report will be released with an accompanying public opinion poll. A full copy of the report is available on the Last Acts Web site at: http://www.lastacts.org.

Jason Program children meet Raffi
 

Advances in the Relief of Pain & Suffering

PowerPoint Presentation by Gary Allegretta, MD

The Appreciation & Management of Pain in Neonates
 

A PowerPoint presentation, with help from Suzanne Toce, MD

Woman Shapes up to Benefit Ill Children
 

	Learn about the "Get in Shape With Kate" program to benefit The Jason Program. This article appeared the "The Portland Press Herald" on Sunday, June 2, 2002
	Please be sure to view A Child's View of this partnership - an original drawing. It's a wonderful piece, worth the wait (up to 1½ minutes by modem).

Maine Council of Churches
 

The Maine Council of Churches is many things: a forum for faith issues, an organization with a membership of more than 600 churches in Maine, a united voice calling attention to social issues of concern, such as hunger, poverty, civil rights, economic justice, environmental stewardship, criminal justice and much more. Their mission statement clearly defines the organization: "We engage diverse faith communities and the wider society, in dialog and actions leading to justice and reconciliation. Our united voice fosters a compassionate society through discernment, education, and advocacy."

Advanced Training in Pediatric End-of-Life Care
 

Our summer training session, in partnership with the University of New England, is now listed on the EPERC website. See our Advanced Training page for preliminary details.

The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Statement to the Institute of Medicine Committee on Care of Children Who Die and Their Families
 

The American Society of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology is one of the major professional organizations dedicated to advancing every aspect of care for children with cancer and their families. This document is based on the work of several experts in the area of pediatric palliative care, including Dr. Kate Eastman. You can view the original work here.

Jason Program Contributes to National Effort for Support

"Statement to the Institute of Medicine Committee on Children who Die and Their Families" is a collaborative effort by national experts in pediatric palliative care that includes work by Dr. Eastman. This is a strong statement of what we feel these children need and deserve, in an effort to foster philosophical and monetary support of our cause. Read their document here. Feel free to send comments to Dr. Eastman here.

"Dying Kids, Families Get "Too Good to be True' Help"

This wonderfully written article by Josie Huang, Portland Press Herald Writer, appeared in the Monday, July 23, 2001 issue.

Maine Cares About Palliative Care I recently came across this chapter from the board of licensure in medicine for the State of Maine. Simply put: The Boards recognize that principles of quality medical practice dictate that the people of the State of Maine have access to appropriate and effective pain relief. Good news for us all. Freedom for physicians to practice it.