Our International Palliative Care Conference “Kaleidoscope” returns on the 16th & 17th May 2025.
This is a hybrid event so whether you prefer the energy of in-person networking or the convenience of attending from your own space, our conference offers the best of both worlds.
Attend In-Person at the Convention Centre Dublin and immerse yourself in the vibrant atmosphere, engage with speakers face-to-face, and enjoy unique on-site experiences.
Join Online: Experience the conference from anywhere in the world with our seamless virtual platform. Participate in live sessions and interactive Q&As.
The 17th Kaleidoscope Conference, hosted by St. Francis Hospice Dublin, offers members of the Irish and international health care community an opportunity to explore issues related to palliative care.
The overall theme for 2025 is “The Evolution of Palliative Care – Where to next?”.
The Conference is accredited for CPD hours, all participants will receive a certificate of attendance.
We have an exciting line up of speakers across both days, call for papers presentations and poster exhibition as well as workshops on Friday and Saturday morning.
See below for conference line up and to book your tickets.
Conference Line Up – Friday 16th May
09:45 – 10: 45 – Professor Karen Ryan
Consultant in Palliative Medicine with St Francis Hospice Dublin and the Mater Misericordiae University Hospital
Plenary: ‘The Evolution of Palliative Care’
11:15 – 12:15 – Professor Patrick Forde
Prendergast Chair of Immuno-Oncology at Trinity College Dublin, Consultant Medical Oncologist at St. James Hospital Dublin and a Professor of Oncology at Johns Hopkins
Plenary: ‘Immunotherapy – Transforming Treatment & Care’
12:15 – 13:15 – Professor Theo Boer
Professor of Health Care Ethics at the Protestant Theological University in Utrecht
Plenary: ‘Assisted Dying and its Impact on Culture: 40 Years of Dutch Euthanasia Experience
14:15 – 15:15 – Dr Amara Callistus Nwosu
Senior Clinical Lecturer in Palliative Care, Lancaster Medical School. Research lead for Marie Curie Hospice Liverpool. Honorary Consultant in Palliative Care at the Royal Liverpool University Hospitals NHS Foundation Trust
Plenary: ‘Artificial intelligence and Design Insights in Palliative Care: Opportunities and Challenges’
15:30 – 16:30 – Dr Sharon Lambert
Senior Lecturer University College Cork
Plenary: ‘Trauma Informed Service Design’
Saturday 17th May 2025
09:45 – 10:45 – Professor Kevin Brazil
Professor of Palliative Care in the School of Nursing and Midwifery, Queen’s University Belfast and Professor (Adjunct) McGill University, Montreal, Canada.
Plenary: ‘Addressing the Challenges and Creating Opportunities Towards Improving End-of-Life Care in Nursing Homes’
11:15 – 12:15 – Jayson Pope
Medical Social Worker Beaumont Hospital & LGBTQ+ Advocacy & Education
Plenary: ‘LGBTQ+ Awareness in Palliative Care’
12:15 – 13:15 – Helena Talbot Rice
Lead of Rehabilitation and Well-being services at St Christopher’s Hospice UK
Plenary: ‘Rehabilitative Palliative Care – Enabling People to Live Fully Until They Die’
14:15 – 15:15 – Niamh Finucane
Co-Ordinator of Social Work & Bereavement Services, St. Francis Hospice Dublin
Fidelma Beirne
Senior Social Worker BSS, St Francis Hospice Dublin
Plenary: ‘Supporting Children and their Families Navigating Grief and Loss’
15:30 – 16:30 – Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell GC-C
New York Zen Centre Co-Founder, Vice President, & Guiding Teacher
Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison, MFA, LMSW, DMIN
New York Zen Centre Co-Founder, President, & Guiding Teacher
Plenary: ‘Compassion 360’
In addition to the conference we also have two workshops taking place. Please note these workshops are not part of the conference, if you wish to attend the conference you will need to purchase a conference ticket.
Transforming Suffering Through Courageous Compassion, with Sensei Chodo Robert Campbell and Sensei Koshin Paley Ellison –
Date: Friday 16th May 2025
Location: The Convention Centre Dublin
Time: 09:15 – 12:15pm
Co-Founders of the New York Zen Center (NYZC) and renowned thought leaders in contemplative care, Koshin’s and Chodo’s work has been featured in the New York Times, PBS, CBS Sunday Morning and other media outlets. The NYZC has developed transformational, collaborative training experiences: the Foundations in Contemplative Care and the Contemplative Medicine Fellowship. Today, NYZC’s teachings and practices are internationally recognized and have touched the lives of tens of thousands of individuals.
In this workshop we will explore these questions together.
- What does it mean to act with compassion for others and ourselves equally?
- How do we move from being a caregiver to a care partner?
- How do we nurture courage in the way we care?
We will share essential learnings from our years of teaching clinicians internationally; and teachings from our evidenced-based published research on how to thrive when you feel things are falling apart. Join us for a lively morning of exploration!
Ethical Dilemmas and Practice in Palliative Care, with Professor Theo Boer
Date: Saturday 17th May 2025
Location: The Convention Centre Dublin
Time: 09:15 – 12:15pm
Professor Boer studied theology and ethics in Utrecht and in Uppsala. From 1987-2001 he was a researcher at the Center for Bioethics and Health Law at Utrecht. From 2005-2014 he was a member of a Regional Euthanasia Review Committee, during which he assessed 4,000 euthanasia reports for the Dutch Government. He is currently a member of the Dutch Health Council, a statutory advisory board for the Dutch Government. His present research concentrates on euthanasia and on overtreatment.
This is a two part workshop and will cover the following:
Part 1: Respectfully Handling Deep Moral Pluralism in End of Life Choices
Pluralism acknowledges that diversity and its related traditions are a natural part of society, encompassing ethnicity, sexual orientation, and faith. In the past century western healthcare systems have seen vast developments in medical technologies and considerable diversity of views on what constitutes good living, healthcare, and dying. Prof. Boer will explore one or more case studies from his decades of experience in the Dutch plural healthcare system and conclude with guidance that may support the exploration of complex moral diversity in the evolution of Palliative Care and healthcare systems.
Part 2: Can We Prevent Overtreatment?
Introducing the Five Medical-Ethical Criteria Until the late 20th century, doctors had limited treatment options, but now medical advancements are significant. J.H. van den Berg with his book Medical Power and Medical Ethics, opened the debate on whether doctors should do everything they can do. He focused on the suffering that treatment can cause and the costs they entail. Prof. Boer will connect the discussion around overtreatment with the four medical-ethical principles of Beauchamp & Childress, to which he adds a fifth criterion in this specific context: respect for natural processes. The aim is to equip health care providers with tools to identify potential overtreatment before either starting or continuing treatment.
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