R.I.P.P.L.E
Reproductive and Infant Perinatal Palliative Learning ExchangeRIPPLE — which stands for Reproductive and Infant Perinatal Palliative Learning Exchange — is a space designed for healthcare providers, educators, and advocates across Canada who are committed to improving the care we offer families experiencing reproductive, pregnancy or infant loss.
This community of practice is built on the belief that when we come together — across disciplines, organizations, and regions — we create something far greater than any one of us can do alone. Like a ripple on water, the changes we make in our own areas of practice can spread far beyond what we might imagine.
This community of practice was born out of a shared recognition — across four national and provincial organizations — that a dedicated space for reproductive, pregnancy and infant loss care was missing from the Canadian landscape. We are proud to acknowledge the partnership between PAIL Network, Canada’s Pediatric Palliative Care Alliance, the Centre for Reproductive Loss, and the Canadian Alliance for Children’s Grief, whose collective commitment to improving care for families ensured that this gap would not go unaddressed.
Whether you are joining us from a hospital, a clinic, a community organization, as a person with lived experience, or somewhere else entirely — you belong here, and your perspective matters.
Click on the information below to learn more about attending future RIPPLE events, or email pailnetwork@sunnybrook.ca to join our mailing list.
Upcoming Events
September 10, 2026 - Support after Difficult News in Pregnancy: Exploring the Role of Perinatal Palliative Care
To register, please visit this link: https://RIPPLESeptember2026.eventbrite.ca
Description: Join us for an interactive session that explores how compassionate, family-centred care can be integrated from the time of a serious prenatal diagnosis through pregnancy, birth, and beyond. Participants will gain an understanding of the principles of perinatal palliative care, the importance of coordinated, individualized support, and practical communication strategies that support families during some of their most difficult moments.
Through collaborative discussion, participants will contribute their perspectives to explore opportunities to enhance compassionate clinical care, build knowledge among healthcare providers, and improve access to the resources and services that support families experiencing a serious fetal or perinatal diagnosis.
This collaborative presentation will be facilitated by Andrea Steadman, Clinical Nurse Specialist with IMPACT (Infant Maternal Perinatal Advanced Care Team), and Kimberley, who is parent to Ethan.
Speaker Information:
Andrea Steadman, RN, MN
Andrea Steadman is a Clinical Nurse Specialist with IMPACT (Infant Maternal Perinatal Advanced Care Team), a multidisciplinary team with a clinical focus in perinatal palliative care. She works at Mount Sinai Hospital within Women’s and Infants’ Health, supporting perinatal palliative and bereavement care across the program. In addition to her work with IMPACT, Andrea also works as a Registered Nurse in the SickKids NICU, where she began her nursing career in 2013. She is passionate about providing high-quality, supportive care to perinatal patients and their families as they navigate the challenges of pregnancy and beyond.
Kimberley W
When our son Ethan was diagnosed with a life-limiting heart condition at 20 weeks’ gestation, we chose perinatal hospice and prepared to meet him and love him for every moment we were given. This presentation shares our family’s journey through pregnancy, the support of perinatal hospice, Ethan’s birth and death, and the path of living beyond loss.
Through our story, I hope to offer comfort to families facing similar diagnoses while shedding light on perinatal hospice – a sometimes unfamiliar or overlooked path that provides space for hope, love, and meaningful memories, even in the face of loss. I also hope to provide healthcare professionals with a parent’s perspective on the lasting impact of compassionate, family-centered care.
Past Events
May 14, 2026 - Practical Tools & Solutions for Canadian Early Pregnancy Loss Care
Description: This presentation discussed current early pregnancy loss care in Canada, and reviewed some of the gaps that exist. Presenters outlined an early pregnancy loss provider toolkit that encompasses resources for both staff and patients. Any organization that cares for families experiencing an early pregnancy loss will benefit from the editable tools and resources offered, and will be inspired to make changes in their area of practice to support families enduring this loss.
To access the toolkit, please visit this link: https://pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca/early-pregnancy-loss-provider-toolkit/
To access Early Pregnancy Loss Provider Resources, click this link: https://pailnetwork.sunnybrook.ca/wp-content/uploads/2026/08/Early-Pregnancy-Loss-Provider-Resources2.pdf
To view this presentation, press the play button on the video.
April 9, 2026: From Silos to Collection Action: Reconnect
Description: On June 11, 2025, over 100 participants from across Canada gathered virtually for the National Think Tank on Reproductive and Infant Loss. This initiative brought together healthcare providers, researchers, grief care advocates, people with lived experience, and community leaders to examine the current gaps and possibilities across systems related to pregnancy loss, infant death, and perinatal palliative care. This Think Tank was convened with the overarching goals of supporting national collaboration, knowledge sharing, and co-creation of solutions that are informed by lived experience, compassion, and grounded in practice.
We will review the key themes and insights we discovered during our time together in June and reaffirm our commitment towards a pan-Canadian approach to the care and support of families who experience reproductive loss, pregnancy and infant loss, and perinatal palliative care.
To view this presentation, press the play button on the video.
June 11, 2025 - From Silos to Collective Action: A National Think Tank on Reproductive and Infant Loss
Event Description: We will explore needs and gaps in reproductive challenges, pregnancy loss, infant death, and perinatal palliative care, listen and learn from diverse voices and contexts, and share our ideas about a path forward. We welcome healthcare and support professionals, researchers, advocates, and people with lived experience to join us.
To view this presentation, press the play button on the video.
