Document Type
Creative Expression
Abstract
This poem invites the reader to consider the uncertainty of facing an unwinnable situation. Kobayashi Maru is a reference to a fictional leadership test from Star Trek, designed to confront participants with a no-win scenario. While the test is famously “beaten” by the show’s hero, this piece aspires to depict the often unwinnable circumstance of caring for a child with incurable illness. The reader is provided space to consider how the balance of emotions and values may shift when read through the eyes of a parent, clinician, or observer.
Grants and Funding
This research received no specific grant from any funding agency in the public, commercial, or not-for-profit sectors.
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Mahoney D. Kobayashi Maru. Advances in Cancer Education and Quality Improvement. 2026; 2(1).