Quality of Life and Palliative Care

The Palliative Care (Pal) Team at St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital focuses on making each day the best it can be for St. Jude patients and families facing serious illnesses.

Illness affects the body, mind, and spirit. For patients with complex medical conditions such as cancer, having a good quality of life can be challenging.

This is where the St. Jude Pal Team can help. The group of specialized doctors, advanced practice providers (APPs), and nurses spends time getting to know you to understand what matters to you. We find ways to improve your child’s daily life and make going through treatment a little easier. Research has shown that involving palliative care early in medical care can improve quality of life throughout treatment.

The St. Jude Pal Team sees patients both inside and outside the hospital. We also help coordinate care for our patients while they are in St. Jude housing or at home.

Services we provide

Palliative care aims to prevent and relieve the suffering caused by disease symptoms, treatment side effects, and stress.

Your Pal Team works closely with your child’s primary health care team to give you an extra source of support. We do not replace your primary team but instead help design a care plan that meets your family’s needs and can be shared with your child’s care team.

Services include:

• Working with your primary team and other teams to coordinate your child’s care across St. Jude and at home
• Managing pain and symptoms with medicine or other approaches
• Integrative health approaches to relieve side effects that may include massage, acupoint, yoga, and aromatherapy
• Emotional and spiritual support to help families deal with the stress of serious illness
• Matching treatment and care choices to your family’s values, customs, and culture

Please ask your child’s care team if you would like a referral for palliative care services.

What to expect from the Pal Team

The Pal Team will spend time learning about what makes you and your child unique. We will ask about your experience with treatment so far and any symptoms that are bothering your child. We will learn how you like to receive and share information to make sure you can make the best treatment choices for your child.

We will work with your primary clinic team and our other psychosocial teams to make sure that every day is as good as it can be for you and your child.

Support at home

We will see you inside and outside the hospital and can help coordinate support for you while you are in St. Jude housing or at home. If your child’s primary team feels it would help, the Pal Team can help arrange home care services in your local area.

QoLA (Quality of Life for All) Kids Home-Based Program with Methodist Alliance

The QoLA Kids Home-Based Program is an extension of the St. Jude Pal Team. The QoLA Kids Program staff includes:

• Doctors
• Nurses
• Social workers
• Chaplains
• Child life specialists

QoLA Kids staff can visit you at home or in St. Jude housing.

We can:

• Do lab tests in your home
• Give medicines
• Help you look for financial help
• Support you and your family
• Check on your child’s symptoms and help manage them

Contact Us

For more information about the Pal Team or palliative care, please e-mail QualityofLifeService@stjude.org.

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