Japan has entered an era of declining population. Among the needs of patients and society is the presence of doctors who will be there for them until the end of their lives, even if they cannot cure their illness. Regardless of the target audience, support for those who are suffering shares common elements: people who are suffering appreciate having someone who they believe understands their pain, suffering that can be alleviated is addressed, and people find ways to remain calm when faced with suffering that cannot be resolved. Support for caregivers is equally important. The interpersonal support and spiritual care we have learned through our clinical practice in end-of-life care can contribute to professional education.

In 2018, the OK Project was launched with the aim of sharing with children the essence of spiritual care fostered in hospice and palliative care. The project developed teaching materials, trained certified instructors, and delivered classes. By September 2023, 189 instructors were certified and a total of 720 programs delivered (202 in elementary schools, 88 in junior high schools, 25 in high schools, 78 in universities and vocational schools, and 327 in other schools) with 53,360 participants. Comments from the participants after the classes (freely written) indicated that they found support from their painful experiences, felt relieved after listening to the stories, wanted to be supportive themselves, and wanted to share what they had learned with others. As a follow-up for certified instructors, a place for certified instructors to learn from each other was regularly held online, and an environment was created where they could practice their presentations and provide feedback. OK Project has a potential to contributing to Compassionate Community because children can live in peace while embracing suffering that is difficult to resolve.