The SickKids Caribbean Initiative to improve care for children with cancer and blood disorders

• Published in: Revista Panamericana de Salud Pública
• Main Authors: Michelle Reece-Mills, Jo-Anna B. Baxter
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English; Spanish; Portuguese
• Published: Pan American Health Organization 2023
• Subjects: caribbean region; medical oncology; oncology nursing; hematology; anemia; sickle cell; pediatrics; education; medical; database; health advocacy; Medicine; R; Arctic medicine. Tropical medicine; RC955-962; Public aspects of medicine; RA1-1270; Arctic; Canada; Saint-Vincent; Sickle; Trinidad
• Online Access: https://doi.org/10.26633/RPSP.2023.130; https://doaj.org/article/a5cb564e161a4391b54becf7c030d4fd

To improve pediatric hematology and oncology outcomes, there is a recognized potential for partnerships between low- and high-resource institutions within health care systems. The SickKids Caribbean Initiative is a partnership between health care professionals at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, Canada, and seven Caribbean institutions across six countries (Bahamas, Barbados, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago). The primary aim of the SickKids Caribbean Initiative has been to improve the outcomes and the quality of life of children in the Caribbean aged <18 years who have cancer and blood disorders. This article describes five key activities undertaken within the SickKids Caribbean Initiative, including providing education and training, assisting with case consultations and diagnostic services, developing local oncology databases, engaging in advocacy and ensuring stakeholder engagement, and coordinating administration and project management.