London's Children's Hospital is getting international attention for the way it supports young patients undergoing cancer treatment.
The Multinational Association of Supportive Care in Cancer (MASCC) has given the hospital, which is run by the London Health Sciences Centre, international certification for excellence in supportive care for children and youth with cancer.
"This recognition speaks to the incredible work our dedicated staff at Children's do every day to provide better quality of life for children and youth with cancer," said Dr. Jennifer Seelisch, a paediatric hematologist/oncologist at Children’s. “The MASCC certification means a lot to our division as an acknowledgment of our dedication to our paediatric patients.”
According to hospital officials, supportive care at Children's enables health care teams to prevent and manage adverse effects of cancer and its treatment. That includes physical and psychological symptoms. New, evolving research in the field has also allowed physicians to make "evidence-informed decisions" for paediatric oncology patients.
“We are in a fortunate place where there is new research being done regularly in the area of oncology supportive care,” said Dr. Seelisch. “Locally in London, we work hard to ensure that we remain up to date with the current best global evidence and make changes to care as new recommendations arise. We incorporate supportive care measures, such as appropriate anti-nausea medications or infection prevention medication, into our electronic care plans, and review this evidence as a group when it changes.”
The prestigious MASCC certification was only granted to four hospitals in Canada. Children's Hospital of Eastern Ontario (CHEO), McMaster Children's Hospital, and SickKids in Toronto are the other three to receive the honour.
