How to organize a fundraising campaign for palliative care for children and young people

Did you know that "Children learn to smile from their parents"? These are the words of Shinichi Suzuki. He is a Japanese violinist, educator and philosopher. Along with that, he is the founder of Suzuki's international method of music education and developed a philosophy for teaching people of all abilities and all ages.

However, it is not him we will talk about in this chapter, but how to organize a fundraising campaign for palliative care for children and young people. Here you will learn how to contribute and together put smiles back on the faces of children in need of palliative care and their parents.

Let us introduce you to the content of the upcoming topic, and give you some tips and guidelines on how to organize a fundraising campaign for palliative care for children and youth.

Content:

1. Basics of palliative care for a child
2. How fundraising can help a child in need
3. Tips and guidelines for fundraising

1.The basics of palliative care for a child

In light of new research and developments in medicine, the view of palliative care for the child is changing. It offers a comprehensive and humane approach to children with serious illnesses and their families. Still, there are some risks and challenges, but there are also real chances to help these children. There are ways to help them live better and more comfortably.

The basics of palliative care for a child include care, funds, equipment, medication and a number of other costs. Such in a few summary lines might look like this:

1. Disease-centred approach

Palliative care for the child is based, on relieving the pain, symptoms and suffering associated with the specific illness. This care offers psychological, social and spiritual support to both the child and the family;

2. Coordinated and teamwork

It is essential to have a team of medical professionals, nurses, psychologists and social workers working together to provide the best possible care. They collaborate to meet the physical, emotional and psychological needs of the child and their family;

3. Individual approach

Palliative care for children and youth is personalized to meet the unique needs and preferences of each patient and his or her family. This involves exceptional planning and communication to meet physical, emotional and spiritual needs.

Risks and Challenges:

Despite the benefits and importance of palliative care for children and youth, there are some risks and challenges. Some of these are:

- Lack of awareness and understanding of palliative care by the public. This can lead to insufficient support and resources;

- Ethical and moral dilemmas in relation to decision making related to the care and treatment of children;

- Limitations in access to specialist services and equipment;

Opportunities and chances:

So, despite the challenges we have mentioned, it is good to know that palliative care for children offers real chances to children and their families. It can contribute to:

- Relieve pain and symptoms that improve a child's life;

- Supporting and accompanying the child and their family through the difficult process;

- An opportunity for the family to spend precious moments and create excellent memories with their child;

- Improve communication and understanding between the medical team, the child and his/her family.

Overall, palliative care for a child has the potential to change lives. It holds a great chance to put a smile back on the face of both the child and their parents!

2.How fundraising can help a child in need

Crowdfunding children and young people to raise funds for palliative care can be a great help in raising the necessary funds. This, whether it's for your child or a loved one. Starting a palliative care fundraising campaign can raise money, not only for surgery and treatment, but also for follow-up therapies, care, and support for the young patient and their parents during their difficult time. This allows especially the family of the sick child to focus on the time spent with their offspring, her recovery or easing the difficult period they are going through together instead of worrying about the issue of finding money.

As well as helping with costs, crowdfunding allows people to feel part of the community. This makes them realise that they are not alone, that there are many like them, and that they can rely on the moral, emotional and financial support of people all over the world. People who are willing to donate and help, knowing what the family of a sick child is going through. Here's why in raising funds for a child in need , you can be of help yourself. You can contribute by raising awareness about the disease, the process the child has gone through, the obstacles his or her entire family has had to face, and so much more.

Let's take a look at two campaigns on the PavelAndreev platform that have helped children in need of palliative care and their families:

• Together for Petranka Against Leukemia

The child is only 4 years old and was diagnosed with the insidious disease: acute lymphoblastic leukemia. A relative tells about the history of the disease and the need for financial support to get the child treatment at a specialized hospital in Turkey. She set up a fundraising campaign for little Petty, through the Pavel Andreev Foundation. Her campaign was a great success. In less than a month's time, all the necessary sums were raised, not only for the first stage of the child's treatment, but also for subsequent ones.

Take alookatour ChildrenAbroad Treatment Fund to seemore examples of howcertain monthly donation amounts canhelp. It also helped support Petranka's campaign.

• Simona against spinal cord tumour

Simona, who is only 23 years old underwent surgery to remove a tumor in her spinal cord (this occurred 2003-2007). During a follow-up MRI scan, a recurrence of the intramedullary tumor was proven (February 2023). After a fundraising campaign was set up through the PavelAndreev.ORG platform, the necessary funds became available and the girl was transported to a hospital in Italy, where her next ordeal was to come - surgery to remove the tumour, which by that stage had already covered the spinal cord itself. After a successful operation, a new fundraising event for the girl followed. This time for transport by air ambulance. Thanks to constant donor awareness, keeping the campaign active and shared on social media, this time the required amount was raised.

3.Fundraising tips and guidelines

We came to the question: how to organize a fundraisingcampaign for palliative care for children and young people. The answers to which you will find in the following lines:

• Choose an appeal title that makes you stand out

Go for short but powerful words that not only get potential donors to open your campaign, but also to want to learn more about it, and to donate;

• Tell your story because it is unique

Even if you think that your case has many others like it, that there are many others diagnosed with this disease, remember that the way you present your story is personal. It is up to you!

• Be honest and open

It is important in fundraising for a campaign to not only offer your story in an impactful way, using powerful words and touching the depths of your donors' souls, but to be honest with them. To that end, offer the transparency that will get them to donate and care about your charitable cause again. Provide the full information, with all the adjoining documents of payments and disbursement of any amount.

• Set realistic goals

Setting clear goals and deadlines increases urgency and prompts donors to act, not pass.

• Photos, video, sentimental footage that will make people love those they intend to help

Providing pictures, before and now of the family in need are of the utmost importance. This will connect you on a higher, emotional level with the givers. You can check out PavelAndreev.ORG to see how others are announcing their campaigns and how they are implementing photos to enhance the sense of urgency.

• Crowdfunding

You don't have to raise money on your own or try to sell something, take out loans and other things that can take too much time. It is enough to involve family, friends, colleagues in your crowdfunding cause. You can involve them in helping spread the word. Don't be shy about asking for help, especially if the campaign directly affects you. Think about the important things of undergoing medical treatment and other attendant care instead of worrying about who would answer your appeal. Fundraising can be of great help to you in raising funds for palliative care for children and young people. You can organise it brilliantly through crowdfunding platforms such asPavel Andreev

• Share your campaign to raise funds for palliative care for children and young people

The key to any successful campaign is advertising it. In this case, we're not talking about branding, but spreading a charity campaign on social media. Ask your family, friends, colleagues to do it for you too. That way your appeal will reach far and wide. It will meet the right people to lend a hand at the right time!

• More ideas for donations

There are many ideas for collecting donations, almost as many as there is sand on the ground. So again, we urge you not to stop with just one method of fundraising for a charity campaign. You can get the attention of donors in many different ways. Ideas for collecting donations are also: organizing competitions, games, a bazaar for selling handmade creations, distributing flyers and leaflets about the donation campaign and more and more. Checkoutour Facebook group - bazaar. There youcanpurchase an item and the amount, willbe donated toacharitable cause. Come out of your shackles and think creatively. Consider how you can capture a large audience that includes donors with different professions, social status, age groups and other differences. Let them all unite in a noble cause for the sake of palliative care for children in need.

• Give information about your charitable cause

Once a donor has donated, they are already connected to you and your charitable cause. Use the features of the PavelAndreev platform and inform about everything that is happening around your campaign.

Organising a campaign to raise funds for palliative care for children and young people is an important and inspiring initiative. See for yourself that such requires planning, resource mobilization and community involvement. If you already think you are ready to help or start a fundraising campaign for palliative care for children and youth, then make your crowdfunding campaign now from the Pavel Andreev Foundation platform.