Centering What Matters: Supporting Pediatric Patients and Families in Complex Medical Decision-Making

Pediatric palliative care decision-making often involves navigating uncertainty, shifting goals, child development considerations, and profound emotional weight. Clinicians must support both patients and their families as they make choices about interventions, timing, and goals of care. These decisions are rarely straightforward and often require balancing medical realities with deeply personal values.
This session will explore how interprofessional teams can help children and families clarify what matters most and align care with their goals and lived experiences. Grounded in a real clinical case, the discussion will center on the care of a pediatric patient named Soraya with complex medical needs. The session will be led by Soraya’s  parent, Tasha Faruqui, DO, a pediatrician, and Mark Meyer, MD, a palliative care clinician. Dr. Faruqui will share personal and professional reflections on Soraya's care and discuss her experience making the best medical decisions for daughter. The session will explore how palliative care teams can support complex medical decision-making with clarity, empathy, and collaboration.