Meet Sarah

As an ASSIST physician, Sarah works within a multi-disciplinary team to provide pediatric palliative care to infants and children living with serious illness. Her focus is on improving quality of life through the provision of pain and symptom management throughout a child’s course of illness, including at end-of-life. She works with patients and families across a variety of settings, both in-hospital and at home.

Outside of work, Sarah loves to spend time with her husband, two young children and her large extended family. They keep busy by running and adventuring in the river valley, skating on their backyard rink and baking to maintain a steady stock of homemade goods (chocolate chip cookies and zucchini loaf are family favourites!).

Let’s find out more about Sarah:

How long have you worked at the Stollery?

I have worked at the Stollery for four years. In 2020, I started as a clinical associate in the Pediatric Intensive Care Unit (PICU) and the Pediatric Cardiac Intensive Care Unit (PCICU). This February (2024), I took a position as a Staff physician with the ASSIST team, while continuing my work in the PICU/PCICU.

What do you like most about your job?

I like that my job allows me to get to know patients and their families, to understand their values, their hopes and fears, and then to work with them towards what matters most. I like applying my medical knowledge to directly improve the quality of life for our patients and their families, and to ensure that the care we are providing aligns with their goals. I recognize that I cannot do this alone. In my role on ASSIST and in the PICU, I like being part of a highly-skilled, motivated multi-disciplinary team.

Have donor funds directly impacted the area you work in?

Following completion of my training in PICU at the Stollery, I was interested in pursuing further fellowship training in pediatric palliative care. I was fortunate to be awarded a Stollery Children’s Hospital Foundation-funded fellowship position. This funding allowed me to stay in Edmonton to complete my training and to gain familiarity with the scope of practice for both adult and pediatric palliative care within the city.

What is your favourite kids’ book?

I have so many! Julia Donaldson is my favourite childrens’ book author. The Gruffalo, The Baddies and Room on the Broom are all fantastic. I would highly recommend them to a Stollery kid. The Hospital Dog, also by Julia Donaldson, and Franklin Goes to the Hospital by Paulette Bourgeois are both wonderful books that explore the hospital experience.

Do you have a favourite Disney Princess or superhero?

Ariel was my favourite Disney princess growing up — largely because I have red hair and love to swim!