StarShine Hospice Brings Light to Pediatric Palliative Care Patients

For the last year StarShine Hospice( part of Cincinnati Children’s Hospital) in Cincinnati, OH, has been utilizing TIP lamp making to bring light to pediatric palliative care patients and their families.

They’ve found this project to be greatly beneficial to both their patients and their families in many different parts of their journey.

“Some of our patients have made these with us prior to their death and given them to their families, some patients who are still with us have created a lamp as a symbol of their own light and resilience and it is kept in a special place in their home, others have created these lamps after their loved one has passed away as a way to remember and honor them,” says Bethany Rice, a therapist with StarShine.

Ms. Rice adds, “We have found that the choosing of the paper for the lamp has been a particularly effective way for us to start conversations with families about their loved one and to allow them to express their love for them in a tangible and symbolic way. We have had several patients and families be very creative with their lamps, adding things such as meaningful quotes, pictures, or even Star Wars cut-outs! They are each very unique and special to these families.”

TIP is honored and grateful to be able to collaborate with caring, innovative organizations like StarShine. We hope this innovative program will be implemented in other pediatric palliative care programs (as well as in adult palliative care).