"I couldn't dare go anywhere outside the hospital and home, fearing my child might suddenly fall ill. I wish this time would pass slowly."
A guardian who participated in the "PHCSnic" event organized by Samsung Medical Center's Pediatric Palliative and Home Care Team on Nov. 26 shared this sentiment, saying, "I now have the courage to begin outdoor activities."
Samsung Medical Center invited four children and their families — among patients receiving pediatric palliative and home care services who require medical needs designated by the Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service, such as ventilators and enteral nutrition — to Everland in Yongin for the "PHCSnic" event.
PHCSnic combines "PHCS (Pediatric Home-based Care Service)" with "picnic." The hospital planned the inaugural event using the Simmons Fund for severely ill pediatric patients who depend on medical devices such as ventilators or nutritional infusion equipment and find it difficult to go anywhere outside the hospital, as well as for their families exhausted by long-term caregiving. The Pediatric Palliative and Home Care Team checked the children's health status through pre-event checklists and consultations to ensure that the children and their families could spend the day with peace of mind, and prepared supplies for emergency situations. The day's program included rides, parade viewing, snapshot photography, and art therapy, with medical staff including Professor Noh Hyun-seung (Department of Pediatrics) of the Pediatric Palliative and Home Care Team accompanying the families to ensure a safe schedule.
Samsung Medical Center introduced a pilot project for pediatric and adolescent palliative care in 2023, followed by a home medical care project for severely ill children in 2025. The initiatives aim to provide integrated support so that children and adolescents with severe rare and intractable diseases and their families can enjoy better lives both inside and outside the hospital. Beyond medical treatment, the hospital continues to develop various family support programs to improve the quality of life for sick children and their families, expand social participation, and ease the caregiving burden.
"I hope the children felt joy through PHCSnic and that the guardians were able to find some peace of mind and rest, even if only briefly," Professor Noh said. "I hope this project continues over the long term and helps children piece together fragments of life to complete their own lives."
