SPARK Conversations

Send us Fan Mail  Early identification and intervention can transform outcomes for children with disabilities and their families, yet Canada's fragmented health and education systems create barriers that leave parents navigating alone. In this episode, guest Dr. Keiko Shikako speaks with researchers and parent partners about the impact of early identification, current system gaps, and promisi...

Send us Fan Mail Children with congenital heart disease face developmental challenges similar to those born prematurely, yet follow-up care in Canada depends on where a child is born and lacks the systematic approach that exists for other at-risk populations. In this episode, guest Dr. Keiko Shikako and the speakers discuss the Bright Pathways project, which is adapting evidence-based recommendati...

Send us Fan Mail  Families navigate fragmented healthcare and education systems while managing invisible labour that systems and professionals often don't recognize: coordinating care, translating information across sectors, and advocating for their children's needs. In this episode, researchers, a clinician, and parent partners discuss how lived experience must become integrated experti...

Send us Fan Mail Children's Healthcare Canada is proud to bring you SPARK Conversations in a new mini-series format — going deeper on the issues that matter most to children, youth, and their families. Each mini-series is designed to inform and advance healthcare systems that are innovative, accessible, equitable, integrated, and built with children in mind. This is where the conversation sta...

Send us Fan Mail In this special capstone episode of SPARK: Conversations , host Dr. Katharine Smart speaks with Emily Gruenwoldt, President and CEO of Children’s Healthcare Canada, to reflect on two years of exploring what it means to right-size children’s healthcare systems in Canada. They look back on key themes from the series — from timely access to care, community-based services, equity, par...

Send us Fan Mail Children’s healthcare extends far beyond hospital walls. In this episode, host Dr. Katharine Smart speaks with Dr. Vera Etches , President and CEO of CHEO, about how pediatric systems can evolve to better meet children and families where they are. Drawing on her public health background, Dr. Etches shares how CHEO is redefining its role - not only as a hospital, but as a connected...

Send us Fan Mail Across Australia, pediatric centres have just come through a challenging respiratory virus season - driven by influenza, RSV, and COVID - with unusually high volumes among infants and young children, shifting viral patterns, and sustained pressure on emergency departments and inpatient units. As Canadian hospitals begin to experience early increases in respiratory illness, pediatr...

Send us Fan Mail Developmental healthcare in the community is not just a “nice-to-have” - it is an essential component of children’s healthcare systems. Join podcast host, Dr. Katharine Smart, Jennifer Churchill, President & CEO of Empowered Kids Ontario, and Alison Morrison, CEO of Pathways Health Centre for Children, as they explore the importance and value of community-based developmental h...

Send us Fan Mail Pediatric palliative care is so much more than end-of-life support — it’s about walking alongside children and their families from diagnosis through symptom management, grief, and beyond.  In this episode of SPARK: Conversations , Dr. Katharine Smart speaks with Megan Wright (Roger Neilson Children’s Hospice) and Denise Praill (Canuck Place Children’s Hospice) about what it takes...

Send us Fan Mail What does it take to build a truly integrated, child- and family-centered healthcare system? In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, host Dr. Katharine Smart speaks with Lauren Ettin, CEO of the Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO). Together, they explore how POGO as the leader of Ontario’s Childhood Cancer Care system has become a model for right-sized healthcare - from di...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, host Dr. Katharine Smart is joined by Rochelle Reid, Senior Lead and Strategic Advisor for Equity, Diversity, and Inclusion at Hamilton Health Sciences Centre. Rochelle shares insights from the development of the organization’s first five-year EDI plan and emphasizes the importance of community partnerships, equitable policies, and data gov...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of SPARK Conversations, host, Dr. Katharine Smart, and guest Fabiana Bacchini explore the impact of Family Partnership on children’s healthcare across the country. Fabiana shares her perspective on family engagement in right-sizing the system for children and their families in Canada through involvement in education, research, advocacy. Fabiana Bacchini is the Exec...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of SPARK Conversations, host, Dr. Katharine Smart, and her guests explore the impact of the recent Canadian federal election results on children’s health and healthcare across the country. Podcast guests, Danielle Flieler, Manager, Federal Government Affairs at Santis Health, and Jim Armour, Managing Partner with Summa Strategies Canada, share their perspectives on...

Send us Fan Mail What does it really take to right-size Canada’s children’s healthcare systems? In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, we explore the powerful role of philanthropy in shaping accessible, equitable, and innovative care for kids. Featuring inspiring stories and expert insights, our guests unpack how donor dollars fuel breakthroughs, fill critical gaps, and help build a healthier fu...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of SPARK Conversations, we explore right-sizing children’s healthcare systems from the perspective of Community Hospitals that serve children, youth, and their families. Our guest for this episode, ‘Remi Ejiwunmi, Vice President, Shah Family Hospital for Women and Children, with Trillium Health Partners, shares her perspectives regarding the role and impact of comm...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, we explore the role of Ronald McDonald House Charities. Kate Horton, Chief Executive Officer at Ronald McDonald House Charities and Karima Karmali, President and Chair of the Board of Directors at Ronald McDonald House Charities discuss the role Ronald McDonald House Charities plays within the Canadian healthcare system to ensure that every...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, we explore the role of home healthcare. Maureen Charlebois, Chief of Nursing & Clinical Officer at Bayshore HealthCare, discussing the importance of home healthcare within the Canadian healthcare system to ensure that every child, youth, and family can feel supported both inside and outside hospitals. Enjoyed the episode? Leave us a rat...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, we explore the role of primary care teams or healthcare professionals in right-sizing children’s healthcare systems. Dr. Tara Kiran discusses the revolutionary OurCare study, its findings, and implications for addressing the current primary care crisis and ensure that every child, youth, and family is assigned and has timely access to a pri...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of SPARK: Conversations , we explore the collaborative efforts shaping the future of child and youth mental health care in Ontario. The Children’s Health Coalition, a powerful partnership between Children’s Mental Health Ontario, Ontario’s 5 children’s hospitals, and other key organizations, is working to ensure kids and families get the care they need—when and whe...

Send us Fan Mail Children's Healthcare Canada, its members, and strategic partners have highlighted the need to and catalyzed collective action to right-size health systems for children. Recommendations in the Beyond Bandaids report include a call for the expansion of localized capacity and innovative models for children's healthcare in rural, remote, and Northern communities. Recognizin...

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Send us Fan Mail Changing healthcare needs and increasing care complexity among children and youth together with HHR challenges have raised concerns about the current and future availability of pediatric subspecialty care and research and the potential ramifications for child health and well-being. In this episode of SPARK: Conversations, join host Dr. Katharine Smart as she engages in a compellin...

Send us Fan Mail Through visionary leadership, health systems focus, population-based approaches, trusting relationships, and creative partnerships, systems-focused Children’s Hospitals create integrated delivery networks purposefully designed to meet the unique needs of children and families. This serves to improve healthcare access, system navigation, and efficiency, and children’s experiences o...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the SPARK: Conversations podcast, host Dr. Katharine Smart engages with Dr. Leigh Chapman and Rebecca Earle in a compelling discussion on nursing retention and the role of the nursing workforce in right-sizing healthcare systems for children. They explore challenges faced by new nurses in children’s healthcare, including post-pandemic burnout, and emphasizes the...

Send us Fan Mail Season 5, Episode 1 | Episode released on May 6, 2024 View on YouTube Description: Children’s Healthcare Canada, together with our members and strategic partners, is on a mission to right-size children’s healthcare systems, which are “accessible, equitable, evidence-informed, connected healthcare services” purpose-built for kids. Two years ago, Children’s Healthcare Canada embarke...