Let the Little Children Come to Me: A Perinatal Palliative Care Experience.

Following the perinatologist's in utero diagnosis that the son she was carrying had anomalies incompatible with life, Ashley Cook became the first patient to be served by Hand in Hand, the perinatal palliative care program at The Women's Hospital (TWH), Newburgh, IN. This article details the experience of Ashley, her husband Justin and son Skyler as they prepared for Chance's birth and death. In addition, it describes the program's creation and ongoing evolution as the palliative care team addresses the needs of hospital staff who attend these unique births as well as the families who experience them. The Cooks continue to share Chance's story via local ethics retreats and articles such as this. The Hand in Hand program also has received recognition beyond the families it serves, including Evansville's 2010 Celebration of Leadership in Health/Social Service award and the Spirit of Excellence CARES award presented by Modern Healthcare. TWH is an Innovation Exchange participant of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]