Pediatric Palliative Oncology Academic Leadership Collaborative & Symposium

The agenda for the 2026 symposium will be available soon. See below for last year's agenda, which includes links to some presentation videos. 

November 6, 2025

November 7, 2025

Faculty

Deena Levine, MD FAAP FAAHPM - Symposium Chair
Associate Member - Department of Oncology
Division Director - Division of Quality of Life and Palliative Care
Medical Director – Palliative Care & Integrative Medicine Services 
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Scientific Advisory Board

Jackelyn Boyden, PhD, MPH, RN
Assistant Professor of Nursing
Department of Family and Community Health, University of Pennsylvania School of Nursing
Department of Pediatrics, Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (secondary appointment)

Katharine Brock, MD, MS, FAAHPM
Associate Professor of Pediatrics – Oncology & Palliative Care, Emory University
R. Harold Harrison Chair of Pediatric Supportive Care
Director, Supportive Care Clinic, Aflac Cancer & Blood Disorders Center, Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta

Emily Johnston MD, MS
Assistant Professor, Pediatric Hematology-Oncology
Director of Pediatric Palliative Care Education and Research, Center for Palliative and Supportive Care
University of Alabama at Birmingham

Erica C. Kaye MD, MPH, FAAHPM
Associate Member, Department of Oncology
Director, Quality of Life and Palliative Care Research Program
Chair, Qualitative Research Network
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

Sarah McCarthy, PhD
Director of Psychology -Robert’s Program on Sudden Unexpected Death in Pediatrics 
Boston Children’s Hospital

Jennifer Snaman, MD, MS, FAAHPM
Director of Pediatric Palliative Care Research
Dana-Farber Cancer Institute/Boston Children’s Hospital
Assistant Professor of Pediatrics, Harvard Medical School

Molly Taylor, MD, MS
University of Washington / Seattle Children’s Hospital

Meaghann Weaver MD, PhD, MPH, HEC-C
Associate Member - Bioethicist and Palliative Care Physician
St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital

To be announced at a later date.

Registration

Registration will open in May 2026.

Registration fees for in-person attendance are as follows: 

Symposium (Thurs-Fri) 

• Physicians: $249
• Non-Physicians: $199
• Trainees: $149 

Virtual Registration with Continuing Education Credit: $75

Virtual Registration without Continuing Education Credit: $25

Note: Not all sessions will be broadcast for virtual attendees.

Call for abstracts

The Pediatric Palliative Oncology Academic Leadership Collaborative and Symposium aims to create a unique forum for the dissemination and advancement of scholarly work in the field. Abstracts submitted for this symposium will undergo peer review and may be selected for podium and/or poster presentation. All who are interested in participating in the symposium are encouraged to submit an abstract, regardless of role or level of training. We are committed to promoting the career development of multi-disciplinary trainees and junior faculty.  A limited number of travel stipends will be offered to highly rated abstracts to support in-person attendance. Abstracts selected for podium presentations will require in-person attendance, while poster presentations can be in-person or uploaded for viewing in a virtual space. 

Abstracts can present findings from original research, education, and quality improvement projects. Quantitative, qualitative, and mixed methodologies are welcomed. Data driven abstracts will be prioritized. 

Work that has been submitted or presented elsewhere is eligible for submission provided that it has not been published in manuscript form prior to the submission deadline.

Why Submit an Abstract?

• Advance the future of Pediatric Palliative Oncology by sharing innovative research and academic work that drives progress in the field and advances the care of children and families 
• Gain recognition and connect with leading experts in the field 
• Network with multi-disciplinary scholars, exchange insights, and receive valuable feedback from key thought leaders
• You may be offered a travel stipend if your abstract is selected and among the highest rated!

Abstract submissions will be accepted until 11 p.m. CST, Wednesday, May 27, 2026.

Decisions regarding abstract acceptance will be communicated by mid-July 2026.

Abstract Guidelines

Your abstract should use the following structure to provide a concise summary of your work. Please describe the background, methods, results and conclusions of your scholarly project (these headers are required). Describe experimental methods briefly (including relevant numbers of patients, etc.). Statistical analyses should be used when appropriate to support the conclusion. Define all concepts and abbreviations upon first use (e.g., Quality of Life [QOL]). 

Abstract submissions should be 250 words or less, excluding title and authors. While not required, a maximum of two images (table and/or figure) are permitted. References should not exceed 5.

Abstracts should be uploaded as a Word document (.docx) and formatted as below: 

• Title 
• Author(s) and Affiliations 
• Background 
• Methods 
• Results 
• Conclusion 
• References 
• Table/Figure (if submitting)

Please check back for travel information and updates.

Additional Information

This information will be added at a later time.