We are a state-wide organization headquartered in Evanston with a tremendous mission: to optimize the quality of life for every child living with a life-threatening illness, their families, and the teams that care for them regardless of diagnosis, family financial resources or geographic location. GIPPCC members include hospital systems, hospices, community organizations, individual health care providers and heroic families dedicated to supporting children and family members in their emotional journey from diagnosis through treatment and into bereavement care, if needed.   

 

GIPPCC accomplishes its mission through collaboration, education, research, development of best practice guidelines and provision of resources to caregivers and families. Our impact has been as profound as a significant change in our state’s health care policy or as simple, but equally important, as a supportive presence for a mother after receiving her child’s devastating diagnosis.  By providing an intense mentorship program for pediatric nurses and doctors, GIPPCC has been able to bring palliative care to children living in rural areas of the state where families previously needed to travel hundreds of miles to receive services. While we celebrate these successes, we know that many barriers and much work remain.