Storytelling with the spiritual leaders of our children’s hospitals

I talk a lot about the doctors and nurses who care for kids physically and emotionally. I also talk about the importance of the non-clinical staff like social workers and child life specialists, who try to make hospital visits a little brighter for our young patients. Last week, I had the distinct honor to speak to another group of quiet heroes who are critical to healing but who are rarely recognized for the vital role they play — the pediatric chaplains of the Pediatric Chaplains Network.

I’ve trusted the chaplains at Children’s National to provide counsel and care to our families throughout my career in children’s medicine. These amazing spiritual leaders work side by side with our clinical teams and share in the milestones and miracles that often come with caring for kids. But I’ve also witnessed the other side of their work — bringing calm and support to families who are despondent, searching for hope, or in unimaginable pain.

I had the chance during my talk to share a few of the patient stories that have stayed with me all of these years. And then I asked them to think about their own experiences. I called on them to reflect on the families they’ve come to know and care about whose stories need to be told. I know firsthand that when you become a storyteller, people stop what they’re doing and start to really listen. The chaplains have a unique role in pediatric medicine, and their experiences truly demonstrate the strength and resilience of kids and their families. And, honestly, all of us in pediatric medicine should be doing more of this type of storytelling. We need to talk about the families who taught us to be better clinical or spiritual care providers. These stories help parents and community members understand the unique value of children’s hospitals, specialty centers, and pediatric providers, and why investing in them is an investment in the health of our children and our future.