Professional Profile

Dr Leigh Donovan has over 20 years experience working in paediatric palliative care and bereavement care in a range of clinical, program and project management, policy, and research positions in the tertiary health, not-for-profit and higher education sectors.

In 2016 Leigh completed her PhD Compass:  Exploring the experience and needs of parents whose child has died from cancer. This multi-site Australian study informed the translation of a suite of resources produced in collaboration with Redkite.  By My Side: stories of parents whose child has died from cancer and Walking Alongside: a guide for health professionals caring for a dying child are freely available through Redkite.

Leigh was awarded  a Churchill Fellowship in 2017 and in 2018 visited bereavement services in paediatric hospitals and hospices throughout the USA, Canada, UK and Ireland. This fellowship has since informed development of best practice guidelines and transitional bereavement care in children’s hospitals in Australia.

Leigh is an advocate for a public health approach to palliative and bereavement care and through her consultancy Collaboraide, works with individuals, groups and organisations to enhance the place of self and community in the lives of the dying and bereaved.