As part of Palliative Care Week 2025, North West Hospice delivered its first-ever Transition Year education project across the North West — and it proved to be a great success.

In collaboration with St. Mary’s College Ballisodare, Coola Post Primary School, Ballinamore Community School, and Summerhill College, Sligo, over 175 Transition Year students took part in an engaging one-hour session designed to spark conversation, challenge misconceptions, and build awareness of palliative care.

Before and after the session, students completed short questionnaires to measure changes in their knowledge and attitudes. The results showed a clear increase in understanding and empathy, with many students expressing how valuable it was to have the chance to talk openly about palliative care in a safe and supportive setting. Research ethics approval was obtained for this study, and the findings will be written up with the view to sharing at conferences and in publication. “It was inspiring to see how quickly students engaged with the topic and how willing they were to share their thoughts,” said Dervilla Dockery, Clinical Facilitator at North West Hospice.

The Transition Year Roadshow was warmly welcomed by both students and teachers, highlighting the importance of starting these conversations early. It also strengthened our long-standing connections with schools who continue to support North West Hospice through fundraising efforts — bringing the relationship full circle through education and awareness. The project marks an important step in promoting understanding, compassion, and openness around palliative care in our communities.