Kanti Children’s Hospital holds meeting on childhood cancer survivorship, paediatric palliative care

KATHMANDU: Kanti Children’s Hospital held a landmark stakeholder meeting on childhood cancer survivorship and paediatric palliative care on Monday.

The event was supported by the Nepal Childhood Cancer Alliance, under the Amgen project led by the Ramesh Gupta Memorial Trust in partnership with World Child Cancer.

The gathering brought together survivors, families, healthcare leaders and national and international organisations to discuss challenges, share lived experiences and chart a collaborative way forward. Institutions represented included the Ministry of Health and Population (MoHP), the World Health Organization (WHO), the Nepal Paediatric Society, NAPCare, Bhaktapur Cancer Hospital, BP Koirala Memorial Cancer Hospital, Patan Academy of Health Sciences, Together Against Childhood Cancer, the Leonardo Edward Shrestha Foundation and Warming Heart Nepal.

The morning session featured testimonies from survivors and a panel of parents of childhood cancer survivors, moderated by Dr Sani Sipai. “Survivorship is not just about surviving cancer, it’s about the continuous journey beyond it,” Dr Sipai said, emphasising the need for continued support.

The second session highlighted the importance of paediatric palliative care, with experts outlining current services and describing how specialised training has improved care in intensive care units.

The meeting concluded with a collaborative discussion on strengthening Nepal’s support system for children with cancer. Officials from the MoHP, the WHO and partner organisations reaffirmed their commitment to advancing survivorship and palliative services nationwide.

Organisers described the meeting as a significant step towards a more collaborative, compassionate and family-centred approach to childhood cancer care in Nepal, aimed at ensuring every child and family receives expertise, empathy and sustained support.