FREE October Webinar – Every Child, Every Family, Every Community: Inclusive Approaches to Pediatric Hospice Palliative Care

Join us on Tuesday, October 28 at 4 PM EST/1 PM PST for this webinar led by Maria Panzera Rugg to learn what pediatric palliative care is (and is not). We will examine the vital role of PSWs and HCAs in caring for children, learn strategies to use in caring for a child, the family and community, and gain an appreciation for the importance of cultural safety and humility in pediatric palliative care.

Maria is a pediatric palliative care nurse with over three decades of experience in care of kids and adults, and has worked in homes, hospices, hospitals, and health authorities. We are excited to learn with and from Maria.

To register, please use the form at the bottom of the page!

Using Case Based Learning Participants will:

• Identify what pediatric hospice palliative is and isn’t
• Recognize the various roles that PSW/HCAs can have in pediatric hospice palliative care
• Describe strategies that can be used to care for children, families, community and self
• Identify examples of what cultural safety and humility might look like in providing pediatric palliative care

Maria Panzera Rugg is a nationally recognized Clinical Nurse Specialist in palliative and supportive care with over three decades of experience spanning pediatric and adult health care systems. Maria has helped to lead the development and implementation of inter-professional palliative care programs across inpatient, outpatient, and consultative settings.

Maria’s career has consistently integrated advanced practice, health systems leadership, and quality improvement. Her clinical and academic expertise has shaped regional, provincial and international standards in palliative care through roles such as Regional Clinical Co-Lead for Ontario Health (Ontario Palliative Care Network) and Interim Provincial Lead for Psychosocial Oncology with Cancer Care Ontario. She has contributed to national guideline development and held influential leadership positions within the Registered Nurses’ Association of Ontario, Hospice Palliative Care Ontario, and the Canadian Hospice Palliative Care Association.

Maria has a proven record of program development, including helping to redefine pediatric palliative services at the Hospital for Sick Children, supporting bereavement initiatives through the Coroner’s Office, and teaching future clinicians at the University of Toronto, George Brown College, and Humber College. She has also served as an educator and mentor with Pallium Canada and the deSouza Institute, contributing to national palliative care education.

As a Certified Health Executive, Maria blends clinical acumen with strategic oversight. Her work has been recognized with multiple awards for compassion, education, and patient experience. She continues to serve on boards, review panels, and strategic planning committees advancing person-centered care. Through research, teaching, and leadership, Maria has championed equity, quality, and compassion in palliative care across the lifespan.