Authored by:
Katarzyna Żak-Jasińska.
Medical Director of Hospice for Children- “Bursztynowa Przystań” Gdynia, Poland.
Pediatric Oncologist – Medical University of Gdańsk, Poland.
In September 2022, I boarded a plane for my first trip overseas. It wasn’t for a vacation or a conference—it was the beginning of something much bigger. I had been invited to Memphis, Tennessee, to join a group of more than forty health professionals from around the globe for a course in pediatric palliative care education: EPEC–Pediatrics. But more than a course, it became a family—what we now call the Global Academy.
We learned together. We shared our struggles and dreams. We found mentorship from world leaders like Dr. Justin Baker, Dr. Michael McNeil, Professor Julia Downing, and others who deeply believed in the mission of palliative care for children. Outside of the classroom, we walked the banks of the Mississippi River and visited the National Civil Rights Museum, where a bold red sign read: “Be the change you want to see in the world.” For me, that sign wasn’t just a quote. It became a calling.
I am a pediatric oncologist in Poland, a country where the modern hospice movement has deep roots. In 1986, in Gdańsk, the first adult hospice was founded by Father Eugeniusz Dutkiewicz, a Pallottine priest whose vision for compassionate end-of-life care sparked a national movement. By 1994, Poland saw its first pediatric home hospice in Warsaw, thanks to the efforts of Dr. Tomasz Dangel, and in 2008, with Dr. Dangel’s support, my colleagues and I opened a children’s home hospice in Gdańsk. Since then, Poland has built a robust network—nearly 50 pediatric hospices now operate across the country, offering both home and inpatient care.
I am proud of this legacy. I know what it means for a dying child to be cared for at home, or in a hospice, surrounded by love, expertise, and dignity. So, when I shared my story with Dr. Miguel Bayona from Colombia—a skilled pediatric palliative care physician himself—I was unprepared for his response. With sadness in his eyes, he told me, “We don’t have a single children’s hospice in Colombia.”
The contrast was jarring. Here was a physician with the same training, the same passion, the same commitment—and yet, he lacked the infrastructure and support to deliver the kind of care every child deserves. I could feel the weight of that injustice. It was the first time I truly understood how geography can dictate a child’s fate in life—and in death. That night, as we looked out over the Mississippi River, our conversation turned to possibility. Could we build a bridge between Poland and Colombia? Could the experience of one country help another begin its own hospice movement? The idea took root. We didn’t know it yet, but we had just named a dream: The Poland–Colombia Bridge.
Back in Poland, I told everyone who would listen. I believe that when you dream out loud, the world begins to listen—and to respond. Eventually, a friend reminded me of someone from long ago: “Kasia, don’t you remember Piotr from scouting? He was the Polish consul in Colombia.” The world was listening. Over coffee, I shared the vision with Piotr. He was skeptical at first—concerned about the many challenges in Colombia—but he offered a key connection: the Polish Pallottine Fathers in Medellín. I reached out. And just like that, the past came full circle. The Pallottines who once ignited the hospice movement in Poland now stood ready to support its birth in Colombia.
Father Mariusz Maka welcomed the idea. He told me there had already been talk of a hospice in Medellín, but the right team had not yet come together. Now, it was finally possible. I shared the news with Dr. Bayona and our mutual colleague, Dr. Ximena Garcia. They introduced me to Dr. Juliana Lopera Solano, a brilliant pediatric palliative care physician in Medellín. The final pieces were falling into place. In February 2025, our shared dream became reality. We gathered in Medellín for a conference, joined by Colombian and Polish physicians, nurses, psychologists, and clergy. Together, we launched the first perinatal, home, and inpatient hospice care programs for children in Colombia. This is what a bridge looks like. It’s not made of steel or stone. It’s made of compassion, connection, and courage. It starts with a conversation by a river and grows into a movement that spans continents.
Today, Colombia has its first hospice for children. Tomorrow, more will follow. And somewhere in the world, another doctor will see what’s possible—and dare to dream the same dream. Palliative care reminds us that even when we can’t add days to a child’s life, we can still add life to their days. And sometimes, we can build something even greater: a future where no child suffers alone, simply because of where they were born.
(Images from left to right: Land where the hospice will be built soon and the view from Medellin).