Executive Summary

In 2005, an all-volunteer, multi-disciplinary group of researchers were brought together to advise and inform SuperSibs! a new non-profit dedicated to improving the lives of siblings of children with cancer. The spirit of collaboration, the realization of shared goals, and the vision of making a true impact resulted in ongoing efforts to bring awareness, facilitate connections to care, and continue research regarding siblings of children with cancer. This group was the Sibling Research Advisory Board (SRAB) which later became independent as the Sibling Partnership for Advocacy, Research, and Care in Childhood Cancer (SPARCCC).

In the Fall of 2019, the group broadened its focus beyond pediatric cancer to encompass all siblings of children affected by pediatric medical illness. This group is now known as the Sibling Partnership for Advocacy, Research, and Care (Sibling Partnership) and will springboard from our learnings with childhood cancer to provide expertise and further efforts to recognize and mitigate the impact of pediatric illness on siblings. Our work has grown through dedicated efforts to build collaborative relationships with key researchers, hospitals, clinics, and support organizations.

The Sibling Partnership is moving research forward and promoting awareness to raise the consciousness of professionals and the community at large as it relates to short- and long-term sibling impact. This awareness is the catalyst to promote utilization of services currently provided and to expand services to meet previously unmet needs. The researchers at the Sibling Partnership are dedicated to making a comprehensive impact on sibling support initiatives within the broader world of pediatric illness.