MORE ABOUT FOUNDER AND SPECIALIST, Kim Robison O'Leary

Clinical Child Life Specialist

Following completion of the child life specialist internship at Johns Hopkins Children's Hospital, Kim returned to Johns Hopkins for eight years as a senior certified child life specialist providing psychosocial and emotional support and interventions for patients with life-threatening conditions and their families in the Johns Hopkins Pediatric Oncology Department and within the Johns Hopkins Children's Center.  Working as a part of an interdisciplinary team, she supported patients, siblings, and families with new diagnosis, treatments, normal growth and development, school re-entry, end of life, and bereavement support. Active with the pediatric palliative care and adolescent decision-making tool initiatives, she has co-presented half day intensives, "Adolescence and Palliative Care" at National Hospice and Palliative Care Organization Conference (NHPCO), "Compassionate Communication and Inclusion of Children and Teens", for The Association of Child Life Professionals (ACLP), and was a panelist member for Hospice Foundation of America's conference, "Living with Grief: Children and Adolescents".

Grief Center Coordinator, Children's Bereavement Coordinator, 

and 

Hospice Child Life Specialist

From working with the palliative care team, patients at end of life, and assisting with The Dougy Center - modeled grief support groups at Johns Hopkins inpatient settings, Kim transitioned to the roles of grief center coordinator, children’s bereavement coordinator, and hospice child life specialist in non-profit settings and organizations in the community for the next fourteen years. There she helped families navigate the unknown, create opportunities for understanding, and memory making at end of life. Kim also supported grieving children and teens through planning and facilitating grief camps, ongoing community peer grief support groups, crisis support in the school systems, and community education.  During the tornadoes of 2011, Kim was active in the local community, hospitals, and homes working with disaster relief efforts and educational workshop on "Supporting Children and Teens in Crisis" at Alabama Baptist State Board of Missions Public Safety Chaplaincy Training.

Cancer Support Centers

For the past 25 years, O'Leary has worked consistently with those affected by cancer in community cancer centers such as Gilda's Club (Volunteer of the Year/Contract group facilitator), Community Cancer Center (illness and loss group facilitator), and Hopewell Cancer Support (in individual sessions and facilitating peer support groups for those affected by cancer and other life altering illnesses). Kim has presented on the many aspects of supporting children affected by cancer and other advanced serious illnesses (Involving Children and Adolescents in Care-Planning and Decision Making; Kids in the Classroom ... Cancer in the Family).

Art and Camps

Kim continues to work as an art teacher for camps starting at Camp Sunrise Oncology Camp, grief camps, and music and arts week camps.