Centering in the margins: advancing health equity in pediatric palliative care

As a clinical leader and pediatric health advocate, I prioritize striving to achieve equity in the care we provide to all children and families we serve. The palliative care community must be prepared to address how disparities impacting communities of color affect the ways in which Black and Indigenous People of Color live with and die from serious illness. To date, little has been described about the impact of racism and oppression on Black and Indigenous children and families grappling with serious illness. My work as a Sojourns Scholar will deepen our understanding of race and racism in pediatric serious illness and palliative care, while using complementary research techniques to center the voices of Black and Indigenous patients and families. This project focuses on Black and Indigenous people because historically these two groups have experienced racism in the United States and have the worst outcomes across a myriad of health indicators. Lessons learned from this work will inform the development of evidence-informed, consensus-based recommendations on addressing racism and oppression within pediatric palliative care.