Speakers and Abstracts
(Speakers are listed in the order of the programs’ sessions)
Day 1:
Introduction - Exploring Perceptions of Pain in Children and Key Causes
Speaker
Roula Farah, MD, FAAP
Dr. Roula Farah is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine at the LAU School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics in Beirut, Lebanon and LAU Medical Center - Rizk Hospital. She was recently a visiting Professor at the University of Science Po Bordeaux in France and is currently pursuing a Global Masters in Public Health at the Imperial College of London.
She obtained her medical degree from St Joseph University of Beirut, then completed her General Pediatrics internship at Columbia University in New York, and her residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. She completed her fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, USA and was selected as a chief fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Dallas. She worked in Texas in leukemia basic research and immunotherapy for two years.
She is Board certified by the American Boards of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
She has numerous publications in the field of pediatrics and pediatric hematology/oncology and has received several awards for her scientific work.
Her major scientific interests in oncology are: brain tumors, leukemias and late-effects, cancer genetics and inherited predisposition to cancer and in hematology: rare bleeding disorders and bone marrow failure syndromes.
She served as president of the Lebanese Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Group and was a member of the executive committees of the Lebanese Cancer Society and the Lebanese Society of Pediatrics.
She is the president and founder of CHANCE association NGO and CHANCE International that supports the treatment of children with cancer, advocates for their rights and raises awareness against cancer. She has organized various national cancer awareness campaigns with the Lebanese ministries of health, environment and education.
Since 2014, Dr Farah has been in the leadership team of Asia as a member of the Asia Regional Committee of the CCI (Childhood Cancer International). Since 2019, she became a member of the World Health Organization’s Global Childhood Cancer Initiative Working Group. In 2020, she was nominated as a CCI-WHO sub-committee representative for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) region.
Module I - Managing Pain and Other End of Life Symptoms in Children: Approaches, Best Practices and Tools
Abstract
Pain management in the context of pediatric palliative care can be challenging. Pediatric palliative care is defined as the active and total approach to care, embracing physical, psychological and spiritual elements, focusing on enhancement of quality of life for the child and support for the family. Best practices include 1) support of the family unit; 2) communication with the child and family about treatment goals and plans; 3) ethics and shared decision making; 4) relief of pain and other symptoms; 5) continuity of care; and 6) grief and bereavement support. We will address these practices by discussing the following key palliative care tools: communication, pain and physical concerns, psychosocial and spiritual concerns, and ethics and legal considerations.
Speakers
Janane Hanna, MSN, RN, AOCNS
Janane Hanna holds a Master’s degree in Nursing from the American University of Beirut. She has been certified as an Advanced Oncology Clinical Nurse Specialist Certification from ONCC since 2011. She has received training in pain & palliative care at a number of leading centers including Johns Hopkins University Hospital, MD Anderson Cancer Center, St Christopher’s Hospice, London and Al-Malath Foundation in Amman, Jordan.
After 5 years as an oncology nurse at AUBMC, she moved to the pain service to become the first Pain Nurse at AUBMC in October 2010. She was promoted to Pain Clinical Nurse Specialist in July 2012 & currently serving as CNS for pain & palliative care.
Janane is very active in the field of pain and palliative care. She is a member in the Subcommittee on Practice of the National Committee for Pain Control and Palliative Care. She is a founding team member of Balsam, the Lebanese Center for Palliative Care (an NGO that provides community-based palliative care services). She played an important role in establishing the Hospital-based Palliative care service at AUBMC. Her efforts locally have led her to be recognized internationally and she has been elected to serve as task force member in the American Society for Pain Management Nurses Pain Outcome Metrics. She was selected in 2020 as a pioneer nurse in palliative care by a program led by St Christopher’s Hospice, London that celebrates palliative care nursing. She pursued a fellowship in palliative care, an advanced course delivered by St Christopher’s Hospice, London, in partnership with the Institute of Palliative Medicine in Kerala, India. This fellowship course has won the Global Leadership Award by the European Association of Palliative Care ( EAPC) and European Palliative Care Academy (EUPCA).Currently she is a mentor on that fellowship course for 2022.
She is a member in many professional nursing societies like Oncology Nursing Society, American Society of Pain Management Nursing, and Honor Society of Nursing Sigma, Theta Tau International.
Ms. Hanna has been working on improving pain management practices through the education and training of physicians and nurses at AUBMC and presented nationally and internationally about topics related to pain and palliative care.
In Sept. 2016 she was appointed as Academic Associates at Hariri School of Nursing, American University Of Beirut.
Isabelle Albrecht Frick, RN
Mrs. Albrecht Frick is a registered nurse specialized in palliative care. She is a training officer at the woman-mother-child department of the pediatric analgesia team and the pediatric palliative care team at the CHUV, Lausanne.
She received in 2021 the certificate of advanced studies «Formateurs d’Adultes» from the University of Geneva. In 2008, she completed her training “Formation interdisciplinaire post-diplôme en Soins palliatifs” at CHUV, Lausanne. She also has a training certificate in Biomedical Ethics from CHUV, Lausanne. Mrs. Albrecht Frick believes that nurses constitute the quantitatively most important professional body in the hospital and the scientific literature indicates that their care contributes significantly to the performance of health organizations. She will be discussing recommendations & care methods developed for pediatric palliative care.
Victoria Corvest, MD
Dr. Corvest holds an MD degree from University Paris V Descartes. In 2019, she joined the department of women-mother-child, pediatric unit at CHUV, Lausanne. She works now with the pediatric palliative care team. Dr. Corvest is currently finishing an interuniversity diploma on “Acute and chronic pain and pediatric palliative care”, coordinated by the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France.
Krystel Malek Saade, MD
Dr. Malek is an instructor in Anesthesiology at the Lebanese American University School of Medicine and the anesthesia clerkship co-director. She is also Chief of Section of Pediatric Anesthesiology at the LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital.
She graduated in 2009 from the Saint Joseph University Faculty of Medicine and completed in 2013 a residency training in Anesthesiology at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. She then pursued a fellowship in Pediatric Anesthesiology and Pain Management at the University of Texas Health Science Center Memorial Hermann Hospital Houston TX, USA.
Dr. Malek’s subspecialty is focused on all facets of pediatric anesthesia including pediatric airway, neonatal conditions, congenital malformations, neurosurgery, visceral, orthopedic, ENT and ophthalmic pediatric cases. Her clinical expertise and research interests revolve around the challenging perioperative care of infants and children with metabolic and genetic diseases.
Dr. Malek joined LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital in 2015. Along with her clinical responsibilities she is actively involved in the academic development of students and residents as well as in the simulation center as an instructor in the annual neonatal and pediatric workshop.
Module II - Applying Ethics of Pain Management and Palliation in Children
Abstract
The relief of all forms of pain and suffering is an ethical duty of health care professionals and societies and has been recognized throughout the world as an ethical demand and human right.
Several factors have been identified as causes of uncontrolled and unnecessary pain, which deprive patients from receiving appropriate treatments that they, theoretically, have the right to access. Important factors include (with considerable regional, financial, and cultural differences) the following: 1) failure to identify pain as a priority in patient care; 2) failure to establish an adequate physician–patient relationship; 3) insufficient knowledge regarding adequate prescription of analgesics; 4) conflicting notions associated with drug-induced risk of tolerance and fear of addiction; 5) concerns regarding “last-ditch” treatments of severe pain; and 6) failure to be accountable and equitable. In conclusion, developing an ethical framework for pain management will result in enhanced quality of care.
Speakers
(Isabelle Albrecht Frick, RN & Victoria Corvest, MD mentioned above)
Silva Dakessian Sailian, RN, MPH
Mrs. Sailian has been a nursing instructor at the American University of Beirut and at Balamand. She has been in the nursing education filed for the past ten years involved in teaching undergraduate nursing students both theory and practice. She is pursuing her PhD at the Lancaster University in the U.K. Her research is in dignity of patients experiencing chronic or life limiting disorders.
Jocelyne Azar, MD
Dr. Azar is Clinical Assistant Professor at the LAU School of Medicine division of Psychiatry. She is the division head of Psychiatry at the LAU Medical Center-Rizk Hospital. Dr. Azar is actively involved in the academic development of students and residents as the residency program director and core clerkship director.
Dr. Azar graduated with an MD and completed her residency training in psychiatry at the Saint Joseph University Faculty of Medicine. She has a University Diploma in Eating Disorders from St. Joseph University/Rene Descartes, Paris V. A Diploma in Forensic Medicine from St. Joseph University/Universite de Rouen, France. And, a Diploma in Cognitive Behavioral Therapy from St. Joseph University/Rene Descartes, Paris V.
Dr. Azar then pursued a Masters degree in Health and Hospital Management at the Ecole Superieure des Affaires in Lebanon. She also completed a Masters in Health Professions Education (FAIMER Distance Learning) at Keele University in the U.K.
DAY 2:
Module III - Exploring Alternative Methods for Pain Relief in Children
Abstract
The aim is to explore the best methods for pain relief in children depending on the situation at hands. Novel techniques adopted for pain relief will be discussed such as art therapy, using virtual reality, meditation, yoga, hypnosis, music therapy, spiritual rituals, other. In this session, we hope to increase interest and awareness of these approaches, including the need for further research on safety and efficacy issues. Noting that efficacy may vary according to the pain condition and the child’s age.
Speakers
Roula Farah, MD, FAAP
Dr. Roula Farah is currently an Associate Professor of Medicine at the LAU School of Medicine Department of Pediatrics in Beirut, Lebanon and LAU Medical Center - Rizk Hospital. She was recently a visiting Professor at the University of Science Po Bordeaux in France and is currently pursuing a Global Masters in Public Health at the Imperial College of London.
She obtained her medical degree from St Joseph University of Beirut, then completed her General Pediatrics internship at Columbia University in New York, and her residency at Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York. She completed her fellowship in Pediatric Hematology/Oncology at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center in Dallas, Texas, USA and was selected as a chief fellow at the Children’s Hospital of Dallas. She worked in Texas in leukemia basic research and immunotherapy for two years.
She is Board certified by the American Boards of Pediatrics and Pediatric Hematology/Oncology and is a Fellow of the American Academy of Pediatrics.
She has numerous publications in the field of pediatrics and pediatric hematology/oncology and has received several awards for her scientific work.
Her major scientific interests in oncology are: brain tumors, leukemias and late-effects, cancer genetics and inherited predisposition to cancer and in hematology: rare bleeding disorders and bone marrow failure syndromes.
She served as president of the Lebanese Pediatric Hematology/Oncology Group and was a member of the executive committees of the Lebanese Cancer Society and the Lebanese Society of Pediatrics.
She is the president and founder of CHANCE association NGO and CHANCE International that supports the treatment of children with cancer, advocates for their rights and raises awareness against cancer. She has organized various national cancer awareness campaigns with the Lebanese ministries of health, environment and education.
Since 2014, Dr Farah has been in the leadership team of Asia as a member of the Asia Regional Committee of the CCI (Childhood Cancer International). Since 2019, she became a member of the World Health Organization’s Global Childhood Cancer Initiative Working Group. In 2020, she was nominated as a CCI-WHO sub-committee representative for the Eastern Mediterranean (EMRO) region.
Jamil Abou-Issa, MD
Medical student Year 3 at the Lebanese American University Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine.
Carla Bou-Dargham, MD
Medical student Year 3 at the Lebanese American University Gilbert and Rose-Marie Chagoury School of Medicine.
Mrs. Ghida Al Lahib
Cyril Sahyoun, MD
Dr. Sahyoun is an attending physician at the Children’s Hospital of Geneva. He attended medical school at Georgetown University, pursued his Residency at Columbia University’s Children’s Hospital of New York Presbyterian and Fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital, where he developed clinical expertise in procedural sedation, anxiolysis and analgesia. After returning as an attending physician at his alma matter in New York to head Medical Student Education efforts in the Pediatric Emergency Department, Cyril Sahyoun moved to Switzerland, where he is helping boost the field of Pediatric Emergency Medicine. Cyril has authored influential review articles and book chapters in the field of sedation and is currently preparing to publish the first comprehensive survey of pediatric procedural sedation, anxiolysis and analgesia in European Emergency Departments. Other academic interests include medical trainee education in analgesia and anxiolysis, communication in the clinical environment as well as prehospital care.
Josiane Azar, RN
Mrs. Azar is a Midwife and certified Hatha Yoga Teacher. She has a Bachelor Degree in Midwifery from the Lebanese University. She completed advanced yoga teacher training courses at the Sivananda Yoga Vidya Peetham in India. In 2017, she also attended the Master Chao Kok Sui Basic Pranic Healing Course and received a certificate from the “World Pranic Healing Foundation”. Mrs. Azar teaches yoga in different centers in Lebanon.
Mr. Paramattathil Sreekumar
Mr. Sreekumar is a master of yoga, massage therapist, reflexologist and pranic healer. He completed advanced yoga teacher training courses at the Sivananda Organization in Neyyar Dam Ashram in India. He also completed advanced healing courses in Delhi and received certification from the Pranavidya Organization.
He is registered as E-RYT 500 & YACEP (continuing education provider), with the US Yoga alliance.
Marie-Claire Mouhawej, RN
Mrs. Mouhawej studied at the Saint Joseph University in Beirut. She then specialized in palliative care at the Claude Bernard University in Lyon, France. She carries 30 years of
unit multifaced experience in managing and dealing with different population of patients.
Mrs. Mouhawej was the co-founder of the first home hospice in Lebanon. She launched the palliative care program at
Hotel Dieu de France University Medical Center. And soon after, the first palliative care unit in Lebanon.
She is often an invited speaker on palliative care issues in different settings: academic, serving centers and others. She also frequently attends conferences as an invited member or a presenter in local, regional and European conferences.
Mrs. Mouhawej is a member of the register nurses order in Lebanon, the SFAP “Societe Francaise d’accompagnement et de soins palliatif” and of the family of Elisabeth Kubler Ross Foundation.
Sister Marana Saad, PhD
Sister Marana Saad is the Founder and the President of Philokalia Institute and Organization. Holding a PhD in Monastic Theology from Saint Anselm’s University – Rome and a PhD in Music from Holy Spirit University of Kaslik – Lebanon. Sister Marana is a Theology and Musicology instructor at several Universities and Institutes.
She studied choral conducting under Maestro Walter Marzilli at the Institute of Sacred Music in Rome. In 2010, she founded Saint Rafqa’s Institute Choir (Youth and children) known from 2019 as Philokalia Choir, where she is currently teaching and conducting.
She got an Executive Certificate in Strategic Management and Leadership from Georges Washington University, School of Business, USA (2018) and Sensitization to Music Therapy, Nantes Music Therapy Institute, France (2013).
S. Marana participated in different conferences and workshops (Rome, Estonia, Richmond, Limassol, Croatia-Zara) and she received many invitations to international festivals and concerts (France, Cyprus, Italy, Poland, Germany and USA). She published several articles about theology and spirituality, sacred music, choir management and leadership. She is also the author of several theological and musical texts, and has composed and directed several religious chants and six albums.
Module IV - Concretizing Essential Aspects of End of Life Care in Children
Abstract
The goal of end-of-life care for dying patients is to prevent or relieve suffering as much as possible while respecting the patients’ desires. However, physicians face many ethical challenges in end-of-life care. Since the decisions to be made may concern patients’ family members and society as well as the patients, it is important to protect the rights, dignity, and vigor of all parties involved in the clinical ethical decision-making process. The main situations that create ethical difficulties for healthcare professionals are the decisions regarding resuscitation, mechanical ventilation, artificial nutrition and hydration, terminal sedation, withholding and withdrawing treatments, euthanasia, and physician-assisted suicide.
Speakers
Rana Yamout, MD
Dr. Yamout is Assistant Professor in the Department of Anesthesiology at AUBMC.
Dr. Yamout has been playing an active role in integrating palliative care into the Lebanese healthcare system. Upon completing her Master of Research in Palliative Medicine and medical training in France, she has led the establishment of the palliative care mobile unit at the Clemenceau Medical Center and she has been a founding member of the palliative care and hospice unit at Hotel-Dieu de France. She is currently the director of the palliative and supportive care program at the American University of Beirut Medical Center. Through adopting an interdisciplinary approach, Dr. Yamout works with other primary care providers to improve the wellbeing of patients and help their families cope with loss and grief during the illness and bereavement while preserving their wishes.
Isabelle Albrecht Frick, RN
Mrs. Albrecht Frick is a registered nurse specialized in palliative care. She is a training officer at the woman-mother-child department of the pediatric analgesia team and the pediatric palliative care team at the CHUV, Lausanne.
She received in 2021 the certificate of advanced studies «Formateurs d’Adultes» from the University of Geneva. In 2008, she completed her training “Formation interdisciplinaire post-diplôme en Soins palliatifs” at CHUV, Lausanne. She also has a training certificate in Biomedical Ethics from CHUV, Lausanne. Mrs. Albrecht Frick believes that nurses constitute the quantitatively most important professional body in the hospital and the scientific literature indicates that their care contributes significantly to the performance of health organizations. She will be discussing recommendations & care methods developed for pediatric palliative care.
Victoria Corvest, MD
Dr. Corvest holds an MD degree from University Paris V Descartes. In 2019, she joined the department of women-mother-child, pediatric unit at CHUV, Lausanne. She works now with the pediatric palliative care team. Dr. Corvest is currently finishing an interuniversity diploma on “Acute and chronic pain and pediatric palliative care”, coordinated by the University Claude Bernard Lyon 1, France.
Marianne Majdalani, MD
Dr. Majdalani is Assistant Professor in the Department of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine at the American University of Beirut. She is also the director of the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit and Step Down Unit.
Dr. Majdalani received her MD degree from the American University of Beirut in 1996. She completed her residency training in Pediatrics at the SUNY Health Science Center, Syracuse in NY. Then a fellowship in critical care at the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
Dr. Majdalani received the American Board of Pediatrics certification in 2001 and the American Board of Pediatrics Critical Care certification in 2004.