The Third Annual US Celebration of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day: A virtual coming together to unify the global palliative care community.

OBJECTIVES: On 3-4 October 2022, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Supportive Care Service and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences hosted the Third Annual United States (US) Celebration of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD). The purpose of this article is to reflect on the event within the broader context of the international WHPCD theme: "healing hearts and communities." We describe lessons learned in anticipation of the fourth annual conference to be held on 3-4 October 2023. METHODS: Description of the third annual event, conference planning team reflection, and attendee evaluation responses. RESULTS: The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance launched WHPCD in 2005 as an annual unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care globally. Since 2020, the conference has attracted an increasing number of attendees from around the world. Two primary aims continue to guide the event: community building and wisdom sharing. Fifty-two interprofessional palliative care experts, advocates, patients, and caregivers provided 13 unique interactive sessions. Four hundred and fifty-eight multidisciplinary registrants from at least 17 countries joined the program. Free registration for colleagues in low- and middle-income countries, students and trainees, and individuals experiencing financial hardship remains a cornerstone of inclusion and equitable access to the event. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The US WHPCD celebration provides a virtual platform that offers opportunities for scientific dissemination and collective reflection on hospice and palliative care delivery amid significant local and global changes in clinical practice, research, policy and advocacy, and population health. We remain committed to ensuring an internationally relevant, culturally diverse, and multidisciplinary agenda that will continue to draw increased participation worldwide during future annual events.

The 2nd Annual US Celebration of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day: A virtual coming together to support equity in palliative care access.

OBJECTIVE: On October 5-6, 2021, the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center Supportive Care Service and Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Sciences hosted the 2nd Annual United States (US) Celebration of World Hospice and Palliative Care Day (WHPCD). The purpose of this article is to describe the event within the broader context of the international WHPCD theme: "Leave No One Behind - Equity in Access to Palliative Care." We reflect on lessons learned in anticipation of the 3rd annual conference to be held October 3-4, 2022. METHODS: Description of the 2nd annual event, conference planning team reflection, and attendee evaluation responses. RESULTS: The Worldwide Hospice Palliative Care Alliance launched WHPCD in 2005 as an annual unified day of action to celebrate and support hospice and palliative care around the world. The 2021 US-based innovative virtual conference featured 37 interprofessional hospice and palliative care specialists and patient and family caregiver speakers across 11 diverse sessions with a focus on health equity and COVID-19 considerations. Two primary aims continue to guide the event: community building and wisdom sharing at the intersection of art and science. 278 registrants from at least 14 countries and 21 different states across the US joined the program, which served as a global debriefing for hospice and palliative care workers from diverse settings, contexts, and disciplines. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: The US WHPCD Celebration creates a virtual coming together for collective reflection on hospice and palliative care delivery amid vast changes in clinical practice, research, and policy, both locally and globally. In addition, our goal to ensure an internationally relevant, culturally inclusive, and multidisciplinary agenda will continue to draw increased participation worldwide during future annual events.

Recognizing spiritual injury in cancer: A case study.

BACKGROUND: Spiritual distress is a common symptom among patients with cancer. Spiritual injury (SI), a type of spiritual distress, occurs when there is a breakdown in the relationship between the individual and their higher power. Patients who experience spiritual injury may have poor health outcomes. METHODS: A case report of a woman with stage IV non-small cell lung cancer who had experienced a SI. RESULTS: The palliative care team, in collaboration with the palliative care chaplain, was able to recognize that the patient had experienced a SI. They were able to help the patient to process and reflect upon this experience and ultimately treat her suffering. SIGNIFICANCE OF RESULTS: All palliative care providers should assess their patients' spiritual health and monitor for the existence of SI.

Fostering Trust With a Young Man Experiencing Homelessness and Advanced Cancer.

Persons experiencing homelessness (PEH) face countless barriers to equitable health, social, and palliative care across all settings. Brandon was a 23-year-old male, well-spoken, groomed, and polite despite difficult circumstances. He was severely abused then abandoned as a child, living in multiple foster homes until 18. With no consistent caring adult figure, he predictably fell into a chaotic lifestyle, had 3 children by different mothers, and became homeless in New York City. He presented with newly diagnosed renal cell carcinoma metastatic to lung, lymph nodes, and bone. Spine and pelvic metastases caused paralyzing somatic pain that interfered with walking and sitting and prevented Brandon from performing the activities of daily living essential for his survival on the streets and safekeeping of opioids. Lack of basic social support and a history of multiple abandonments made a care plan for this young, homeless, and truly isolated man very challenging. The inpatient and outpatient interdisciplinary team members partnering with Brandon each earned his trust with time. A "safe place" opened hearts on all sides of the therapeutic relationship and led to a plan that was acceptable for both the patient and the palliative care team. Clinicians are often challenged to provide sustained and pragmatic palliative care services for PEH due to complex barriers. Continued advocacy for equitable and tailored services that ensure high-quality palliative care for PEH is critical at individual, institutional, and system levels to promote health equity and dignified care.