18 December 2024
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Dear friends,
2024 has been another amazing year for the Maruzza Foundation, made particularly special by the celebration of our 25th anniversary. This important milestone gave us the opportunity to reflect on the journey we have undertaken: from our first steps in 1999 to the goals and achievements reached together with commitment and enthusiasm.
This year, we have added new and meaningful chapters to our story. Among the most significant was the 6th Maruzza International Congress on Paediatric Palliative Care, held in October. The 6th edition of the Congress welcomed over 450 participants from 48 countries, reaffirming its status as a key meeting for healthcare professionals providing children’s palliative care. During three days of intense activity we shared experiences, discussed best practices and renewed our commitment to ensuring the best quality of life possible for children with serious illnesses and their families.
From the 14th of May to the 20th June, during the third edition of the Giro D’Italia of Pediatric Palliative Care initiative, a series of events were held throughout the country under the title “To Each their Hub, Together We Are a Network”, aimed at fostering dialogue regarding the importance of paediatric palliative care regional networks between the general public, social and healthcare workers and policymakers.
Finally, during the Italian Society of Palliative Care annual Congress in November the Foundation’s IMA-GO project, the first guideline for mindful digital communication involving children receiving paediatric palliative care, was presented. This document addresses a highly relevant topic: how to raise public awareness of the importance of palliative care for children while, at the same time, respecting the dignity, privacy, and rights of children living with serious illness. The guidelines are a valuable resource for parents, professional caregivers, and healthcare institutions alike.
These most recent projects were added to a fine list of attainments over the past 25 years: the specification of paediatric palliative care provision in national healthcare policy (Law 38/2010), the organization of the Maruzza International Congress, the creation of the Maruzza Lyceum, and the drafting of the Religions of the World Charter for Children’s palliative Care and the Trieste Charter – The Rights Of The Dying Child. Over the past 25 years, we have collaborated with national and international experts to set standards of excellence, promote innovative legislation, and foster global access to paediatric palliative care for all those who need it.
Looking back, we can be proud of what we have achieved. Looking forwards, we are inspired by the realisation that our work is far from over. With passion, dedication, and a renewed spirit of collaboration, we will continue to strive to improve the lives of thousands of children and their families.
With deep gratitude, I wish each of you and your families a joyful holiday season and a 2025 filled with peace, joy and solidarity.
Best wishes,
Silvia Lefebvre D’Ovidio