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Pediatric palliative care is so much more than end-of-life support — it’s about walking alongside children and their families from diagnosis through symptom management, grief, and beyond. In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, Dr. Katharine Smart speaks with Megan Wright (Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice) and Denise Praill (Canuck Place Children’s Hospice) about what it takes to right-size pediatric palliative care systems across Canada, improve equity and access, and support families, and providers, through the most challenging moments of care.

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What does it take to build a truly integrated, child- and family-centered healthcare system? In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, host Dr. Katharine Smart speaks with Lauren Ettin, CEO of the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO). Together, they explore how POGO as the leader of Ontario’s Childhood Cancer Care system has become a model for right-sized healthcare - from diagnosis to treatment through survivorship - by combining visionary leadership, strong partnerships, robust data, and diversified funding support. Listeners will learn how Ontario’s childhood cancer system provides supports that wrap around children and families, not only in providing physical and mental health care, but beyond to other supports and programs to help children, youth and families through treatment and survivorship. The system offers valuable lessons for reimagining pediatric care more broadly.


About Lauren
Lauren Ettin is currently the CEO of the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), the advisor to government on childhood cancer with accountability for the delivery of care of Ontario’s Childhood Cancer System. Lauren’s career has spanned the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She has proven herself as a strategic and entrepreneurial leader. Lauren has had great success in leadership, partnership, system integration, and advocacy through her work with Kids Health Alliance, the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario, PwC and the Ontario government.

Lauren’s career has spanned the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. She has proven herself as a strategic and entrepreneurial leader and is currently the CEO of the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO), the advisor to government on childhood cancer with accountability for the delivery of care of Ontario’s Childhood Cancer System. Previously, she was the founding Executive Director of Kids Health Alliance. In this role, Lauren forged relationships and formal collaborations with and between children’s and community hospitals, associations, and government. In addition, she was instrumental in the work of the Children’s Health Coalition, bringing together a collective voice for the pediatric sector, which resulted in a historic investment of $330M for programs and services across Ontario.

Prior to her time with Kids Health Alliance, Lauren served as the Director of Policy and Member Relations with the Council of Academic Hospitals of Ontario, worked in consulting and had leadership roles at the Ministry of Health and Cabinet Office.

She is also a previous Board member of Scientists in School, PACE Independent Living and Daytrippers Children’s Charity, and Vice Chair of Elizabeth Fry Toronto.

In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, host Dr. Katharine Smart is joined by Rochelle Reid, Senior Lead and Strategic Advisor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Hamilton Health Sciences Centre. Rochelle shares insights from the development of the organization’s first five-year EDI plan and emphasizes the importance of community partnerships, equitable policies, and data governance to right-size services for children and families. Don't miss the launch of Children's Healthcare Canada's new National Child Health Equity Practice Network aimed at fostering collaboration across the country.