Cancer Council WA's Palliative and Supportive Care Education (PaSCE) Manager, Timothy Ryan, recently spoke with Carrick Robinson, CEO of Perth Children's Hospital Foundation and Dr Lisa Cuddeford, Medical Lead of Sandcastles, about the Sandcastles Project. This project is Western Australia's first dedicated children's hospice – proudly supported by Cancer Council WA through a $10 million contribution made possible by the generosity of the late John and Joan Street. In this article, Timothy shares insights from that conversation and explores the impact the project will have on children and families across WA.
Early in the conversation, Dr Cuddeford challenged some common misconceptions about paediatric palliative care, particularly the idea that it is solely about death and dying. Instead, she described care that focuses on helping children and families live as well as possible, for as long as possible.
For some families, involvement with paediatric palliative care may continue for years; for others, only weeks. But the goal remains the same: helping children and their families live as meaningfully and fully as possible.
Unlike many adult models of care, paediatric palliative care supports the whole family, including parents, siblings and broader support networks, not just the individual child. Sandcastles has been designed with this in mind. With dedicated bereavement services and thoughtfully designed environments that reduce clinical distraction and create opportunities for connection and memory-making, the hospice aims to provide care that is deeply human and responsive.
Dr Cuddeford beautifully described palliative care as "the sand poured between the pebbles", working alongside specialist teams, schools, hospitals and community providers to support families in ways that are personalised and holistic.
We also discussed what makes Sandcastles. Now, many families face a difficult choice between hospital-based care or home-based care. Sandcastles will provide another option: a purpose-built, home-like environment where families can access respite, symptom management, end-of-life care, hydrotherapy, sensory spaces, sibling programs, family support and opportunities for connection.
Carrick Robinson reflected on how the project first began. During the Voluntary Assisted Dying debate, a mother caring for a child with a life-limiting condition spoke publicly about the lack of alternatives available for families like hers. That conversation ultimately led the Foundation to visit Bear Cottage in Sydney and begin pursuing what would become Sandcastles.
What stood out most throughout the conversation was the strong focus on warmth, humanity and community. The hospice has been carefully designed to feel peaceful and welcoming, with ocean views, bushland surroundings, quiet reflection spaces and family suites that allow parents and siblings to remain together.
The aim is not to recreate a hospital, but to create a place where children can still be children, siblings can play, families can rest, and meaningful memories can still be created during extraordinarily difficult circumstances.
The conversation also explored bereavement support and the importance of creating spaces families can return to after the death of a child, spaces associated not only with grief, but with care, connection and joy. Dedicated bereavement areas have been thoughtfully incorporated into the design to accommodate families from diverse cultural backgrounds and provide opportunities for private reflection and commemoration.
Importantly, Sandcastles is not intended solely for metropolitan families. The service aims to support children and families across regional and remote Western Australia through outreach, family support coordination and partnerships with local services and WA Country Health Service.
Both guests reflected on what excites them most about the project. For Carrick, it is the legacy the hospice will leave for Western Australia – a lasting example of what can be achieved through partnership, philanthropy and community. For Dr Cuddeford, it is the opportunity to expand holistic support for children and families and continue building services shaped directly by the needs of those using them.
Throughout our conversation, it was evident that compassion, dignity, supporting grief and creating joy for families in unimaginable circumstances have been deeply considered by both Lisa and Carrick, and will be reflected throughout the Sandcastles Project.
Thank you to Lisa and Carrick for your time and insight.
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