Palliative Care Education and Research Conference
We support the advancement of palliative care knowledge through the Palliative Care Education and Research Conference. This annual event, first held in 1989, occurs on the third Monday of October and brings together healthcare providers, researchers, community leaders and other palliative care experts.
Call for abstracts now open
Conference information
Abstract submission requirements
To submit your abstract for consideration, you will need:
- The title of your abstract
- An abstract that is no longer than 300 words
- A brief 75-word abstract for inclusion to the conference syllabus
- Primary presenter's name and position
- Designations
- Co-presenters to be included in the conference syllabus
- Presentation preference (oral, poster, or both)
- If oral, please provide:
- Three learning objectives specific to your presentation
- A 50-word biography of the presenter
2024 conference
The 35th annual conference will be held online Monday, October 21, 2024. The theme of this year's conference is Compassion and Hope.
Plenary speakers
Dr. Harvey Max Chochinov is a distinguished professor of psychiatry at the University of Manitoba, a senior scientist at CancerCare Manitoba Research Institute and co-founder of the Canadian Virtual Hospice. He is a global authority on palliative care, with more than 300 career publications focused on how patients and families cope with life threatening and life limiting illness. He is the co-editor of the Handbook of Psychiatry in Palliative Medicine and his latest book is entitled Dignity in Care: The Human Side of Medicine, both published by Oxford University Press. He is an officer in the Order of Canada and an inductee into the Canadian Medical Hall of Fame.
Maxxine Rattner, PhD, RSW is a hospice/palliative care clinician and educator recognized for her expertise in non-physical suffering. During her decade of work as a hospice social worker, she supported the psychosocial needs of hospice residents and their (chosen) families and implemented a bereavement support program. Currently, Maxxine writes, teaches and does research and advocacy work on palliative and end-of-life care, suffering and grief. Her work seeks to create more space within palliative care for the harder parts of living with, and dying from, a life-limiting illness and to support patients, families and clinicians with these aspects. In her private practice, she provides clinical training, education, consultation and support to health care teams, and clinical supervision to social workers working in hospice and palliative care, long term care, cancer care, and other settings.
Receive updates
Email palliative.institute@covenanthealth.ca to be added to our distribution list and receive updates.
Conference objectives
The Palliative Education and Research Conference aims to:
- increase awareness of palliative care needs in our community
- increase knowledge of the mechanisms of physical, emotional, spiritual and social distress
- provide better understanding of ways to control symptoms of life-limiting disease
- improve understanding of patient- and family-centred care
- improve understanding and support for the interprofessional approach
- increase awareness of compassionate values and moral decision-making in palliative care
- create a supportive environment for staff wellness
- provide networking opportunities
- provide a forum for sharing new research findings, both in progress and completed
Past conference themes and plenary speakers
2023: Personalized Palliative Care: Caring for People and Communities, Honouring People Where They Are At
Plenary speakers: Dr. Hsien Seow and Dr. Linda Watson
2022: Connection & Collaboration: Bridges to Care
Plenary speakers: Dr. Amanda Brisebois and Laurel Kirchner
2021: My Grief – Your Grief: Grieving Together in Times of Loss
Plenary speakers: James Downar and Rev. Joan Jiko Halifax
2020: Kaleidoscope of Diversity: Honoring Individuality in Palliative Care
Plenary speakers: Cara Bablitz, Brenda Reynolds and Matt Day
2019: Caring for Caregivers
Plenary speaker and workshop: Peter Brindley
2018: Compassionate Communities: Building Upon a Caring Community
Plenary speakers: Shane Sinclair and Anna Voeuk