Welcome and Opening Remarks

Andrew Spiegel, Chair of the World Patients Alliance, welcomed participants from around the globe. He thanked the Elsevier Foundation for its continued collaboration and introduced the event as a unique opportunity to promote patient safety among children through engaging, accessible formats. Andrew noted that the webinar was available in over 50 languages via an AI-powered multilingual tool to enhance inclusivity. He also highlighted the Patient Safety Books for Children project, a WPA-Elsevier joint initiative, and the new Doctor Safety Flipbooks created by the South African Cystic Fibrosis Association (SACFA).

Project Overview and Handover

Rida Viljoen, Patient Empowerment and Advocacy Lead at SACFA, presented a detailed overview of the flipbook project. She explained how SACFA combined health knowledge and creative storytelling to produce a child-friendly learning tool. Rida reflected on the core values guiding the project empathy, inclusion, and safety, and expressed pride in handing over the flipbooks to WPA and the Elsevier Foundation for global use.

Why This Project Matters

Lais Junqueira from the Elsevier Foundation then offered insights on the genesis of the storytelling initiative. She expressed gratitude to SACFA for their vision and creativity and emphasized that storytelling is a powerful educational tool, particularly for children. She highlighted how the flipbooks complement existing patient safety storybooks already available in English and Portuguese, with translations in progress for additional languages.

Patient Safety League: Inspiring a Culture of Prevention

Dr. Tiago Dalcin, paediatrician and specialist in Quality of Care and Patient Safety, spoke next. He emphasized the importance of teaching patient safety habits to children early in life, comparing it to past successful public education movements such as recycling, nutrition, and financial literacy. Dr. Dalcin explained how stories like the Doctor Safety Flipbooks can lay the foundation for a lifetime of safe behaviours, empowering children and communities to act for safer care globally.

But Wait, There’s More: Handover of Translations

Rida returned to the stage to formally announce the availability of translated versions of the flipbooks. She explained that translations were either completed or underway in languages such as Hindi, Indonesian, Arabic, Afrikaans, and Greek. The multilingual expansion ensures children from diverse backgrounds can benefit from the stories, enhancing global health literacy.

Team Reflections: Why We Did It

Kevin Abbott from SACFA, a veteran voice artist involved in the production of the flipbooks, shared reflections on the creative process. He spoke about the meaningful relationships built with voice actors and how the project turned into a heartfelt global collaboration. Kevin described the flipbooks as a “gift" from the SACFA team to the world, rooted in care, representation, and community service.

Call to Action: Everyone Has a Role

Kimberly Keyzer, Chairperson of SACFA, delivered a personal and empowering message. Living with cystic fibrosis herself, she encouraged families, educators, and health workers to take advantage of these resources. Kimberly invited participants to share the flipbooks, organize screenings in schools or clinics, and advocate for health education grounded in empathy and inclusion.

Flipbook Screening

Three Doctor Safety Flipbooks were screened live. The animated stories featured vibrant characters like Doctor Safety and Nurse Neat, who guided children through essential patient safety lessons on topics such as handwashing, honesty, and following health guidelines. The audience, including families and educators, responded positively, expressing appreciation through live chat messages.

Hussain Jafri, Executive Director of the World Patients Alliance, recognized SACFA's leadership in creating the flipbooks. He praised the emotional clarity and simplicity of the content and underlined how these tools contribute meaningfully to WPA’s global agenda on empowering families and promoting a safety-first mindset in care settings.

Closing Reflections

Andrew Spiegel returned to offer closing remarks, thanking all contributors and reaffirming WPA’s commitment to advancing patient safety through grassroots engagement. He emphasized that projects like these begin small but can lead to lasting change when shared widely.
Hussain Jafri concluded the session with a call to continue investing in health literacy tools for children. He expressed hope that more organizations will follow SACFA’s example, using creativity and compassion to drive a safer, more informed future for children worldwide.

The event closed with a strong sense of unity and forward momentum, celebrating the potential of storytelling to create real-world health impact. Both WPA and SACFA pledged ongoing support to expand this initiative and promote patient safety through education and collaboration.