Building Bridges: Advancing Collaborative Pediatric Palliative Care

Liana Bailey, RN, PhD(c), Research Associate, Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice

Lauren Hanes, MD, FRCPC, Pediatrician, Pediatric Advanced Care Team, IWK Health Centre

Liana Bailey is a Research Associate with Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice and Canada’s Pediatric Palliative Care Alliance, where she leads and supports national and local research initiatives in pediatric palliative care, including a recent study on the evolution and current state of Canadian programs. Alongside this work, she contributes academically as coordinator of the Palliative Care and Nursing Ethics Hub and as a Part-Time Professor in the School of Nursing at the University of Ottawa. Her doctoral research extends these interests through an ethnographic study of children’s moral experiences in hospice, funded by the Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council. Liana is dedicated to fostering compassionate communities through advances in pediatric palliative care, childhood ethics, and grief literacy.

Lauren Hanes is a Pediatric Palliative Care and Complex Care physician at IWK Health in Halifax, NS. Over the last 5 years, Lauren has worked alongside a “tiny but mighty” team to provide pediatric palliative care to children across the Maritimes, and to advocate for equitable access to this crucial care with the future development of the Maritime Children’s Hospice. In collaboration with Canada’s Pediatric Palliative Care Alliance, Lauren has been conducting a national qualitative study to understand the evolution and current state of pediatric hospice and palliative care across the country.

Rachel Neufeld, Nurse Practitioner, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, NP(F), CHPCN, MN;

Simone Stenekes, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Pediatric Palliative Care, Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Palliative Care Program, RN, MN, CHPCN (C)

Rachel is a nurse practitioner with a 20 year background in palliative care, now with Canuck Place Children’s Hospice since 2018, supporting inpatient care, outpatient community care, perinatal planning and hospital consults. Outside of work, Rachel tends to function a few deviations from the mean, having global adventures, seeking out the next adrenaline rush, communing with nature and volunteering for Two Worlds Cancer collaboration.

Simone is the Clinical Nurse Specialist with the Pediatric Palliative Care Team of the Winnipeg Regional Health Authority Palliative Care Program. Simone has been working in palliative care for over 25 years, with many of those years focused in pediatric palliative care primarily in Manitoba. In her current role, Simone acts as a resource to health care teams across the province, and is engaged in pediatric palliative care projects, research and teaching.

Nadine Lusney, Director of Knowledge & Innovation, Clinical Nurse Specialist, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, RN, BScN, MN, CHPCn (C);

Camara van Breemen, Director, Community Care and Provincial Outreach, Canuck Place Children’s Hospice, MN, NP;

Susan Poitras, MSN, MSc Psych, RN, CPTS, RCC, Pediatric Palliative Care Specialist;

Christine Fraser, Pediatric Palliative Care Clinical Educator, Registered Nurse;

Michelle La Fontaine, Regional Program Manager, Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network

Nadine Lusney is a Clinical Nurse Specialist and Director for Knowledge, Practice and Innovation at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. She is a co-lead in the provincial pediatric advance care planning project. She comes with 12 years experience in pediatric palliative care and 20 years experience in the healthcare system. Her work is centred around advancing inter-professional practice, promoting quality and safey of care, leading innovation and building capacity and knowledge spread in pediatric palliative care alongside her colleagues at Canuck Place. She is passionate about building sustainable systems for child and family centred healthcare. She is grateful to be part of an innovative and compassionate team of healthcare providers seeking to improve the quality of life of children living with a serious illness and their families. Outside of work, Nadine chases after her two young boys and engages in a variety of sports to tire them out. She loves time in the outdoors and exploring all the Pacific Northwest has to offer.

Camara van Breemen is a pediatric palliative care Nurse Practitioner at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice (CPCH) and British Columbia Children’s Hospital. As the Director, Community Care and Provincial Outreach for the pediatric palliative care services she works with teams to enable children who are nearing end of life to be supported in their home communities as end of life approaches. She leads the serious illness care program and has conducted quality improvement across Canada to enhance communication skills and competencies for clinicians working with seriously ill children and their families. She recently received the Courageous Provider Award. CPN | The 2025 Courageous Provider Award. As a director and volunteer for the nonprofit organization of Two World Cancer Collaboration she works with health care professionals in Canada and South Asia to improve care for seriously ill and dying children and their families in lesser resourced countries.

Susan is a nurse and healthcare professional with over 30 years of experience in numerous roles across the healthcare system in British Columbia, Canada. She has worked directly with children, youth and families as a Registered Nurse, Child Psychotherapist and Registered Clinical Counsellor, progressing her career to several leadership roles. She has dedicated her career to the welfare of families, caregivers, and their children, grounded in ethical principles, fostering culturally safe spaces, and person and family-centered, best-practice quality care. Susan provided the leadership and direction to support the ChildKind Certification for BC Children’s Hospital and Canuck Place Children’s Hospice and worked in various leadership roles at Canuck Place Children’s Hospice for over 15 years.. She is passionate about the health and wellness of children and all people and is dedicated to the physical and psychological comfort of children and their developing autonomy. Susan provides a compassionate and innovative leadership approach for pediatric pain and palliative care with integrity, creativity, and vision.

Christine Fraser is a Registered Nurse with over 20 years of experience in pediatric palliative care. Since joining Canuck Place Children’s Hospice in 2004, she has held a variety of roles that reflect her deep commitment to compassionate, evidence-based care. Currently in the role as Clinical Educator, Christine collaborates with generalist practitioners, specialist providers, children, and families to create and foster an interprofessional, child and family-centered approach to care. Her work is grounded in holistic principles and guided by best practices that align with the goals and values of the children and families she supports.

Michelle La Fontaine is the Regional Program Manager for the Pregnancy and Infant Loss Network, and is a passionate advocate, speaker, and leader dedicated to raising awareness and support for individuals and families impacted by pregnancy and infant loss. Having personally navigated infertility, miscarriage, and the devastating stillbirth of her twins in 2005, she brings a unique perspective to the conversation around grief and bereavement. Michelle has a background in healthcare as a child life specialist, and worked with children and families in the community for over 15 years before dedicating her career to breaking the silence surrounding pregnancy and infant loss in an effort to create a more compassionate and supportive world for those affected by pregnancy and infant loss.