Parents’ quality of life is affected by stress induced by a child’s illness as well as by their individual and family-related coping patterns and skills. A child’s hospitalization puts additional stress on parents, and remains high throughout the child’s stay.
Children in the throes of illness or medical crises need their parents to be advocates as well as parents. But the strain of illness makes it even more difficult for parents to function.
Chai Lifeline’s day-to-day assistance and visits from Chai Lifeline’s professionals and volunteers provide crucial emotional benefits in addition to concrete aid. Among the services offered are:
- Information, advocacy, help with medical appointments (including travel to other locations), emotional support and patient navigation services from our dedicated, trained professional staff.
- Hot meals delivered to hospitals and homes. Sponsored by Care for Kids: These cooked meals offer parents one less thing to worry about in the day. Chai will also pay and arrange grocery deliveries when the need presents itself. These programs help create a sense of normalcy and stability in the home.
- Volunteer visits that offer parents a shoulder to lean on and keep children’s spirits high.
- Overnight respite that gives exhausted parents a chance to go home to other children or tend to their own needs.
- Insurance advocacy to help parents understand their policies and intervene when coverage is denied.
- Financial assistance for non-medical needs. Often times a parent will have to take leave from work to properly care for a seriously ill child. This can devastate a families financial stability. Chai Lifeline offers financial support during this trying time.
- Transportation assistance that assures that patients and caregivers don’t miss medical appointments.
- Counseling for patients, parents, and siblings.
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Telephone support groups.
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Cleaning Help: When a family member is sick, it is difficult, if not impossible, to ensure your home is clean, therefore we will also send cleaning help to ensure your home still feels like a home.
The Care For Kids Respite Program
provides essential support to our families when they are affected by an illness in the family. Imagine having a sick child in the hospital while you as a parent struggle to balance the needs of your other children, spouse, job and community. Chai Lifeline steps in to alleviate these obstacles in many ways
When you or someone you love is sick with a life-threatening illness, a range of emotions takes over. Fear, anger and sadness effects the emotional well being of the sick child, as well as the rest of a family.
Art Therapy can help alleviate stress, anxiety and work as a coping mechanism for our Chai Lifeline families.
- Opportunity for self-expression.
- Helps decrease anxiety and promotes relaxation.
- If you have cancer, it can help decrease pain and help you through your rehabilitation.
- Participation in art therapy can give families a chance to do something positive together during a very stressful time.
- Helps create good memories, bringing joy and growth despite circumstances.
- A sense of play and exploration.
- It encourages the development of healthy coping strategies.
- It allows a child to verbally and nonverbally communicate emotions that might otherwise be abandoned or sealed from society.
- Therapy has an ability to help a child work through difficult experiences.
- It is capable of promoting a sense of personal independence, self-reliance, and self-sufficiency.
- Therapy is capable of promoting self-expression, feelings, and emotions.
200
Sick children receiving support
2,000
Family members receiving support
Family members receiving support
“Thank you for everything Chai Lifeline has done for my family. From when my 6 year old boy was diagnosed with aggressive brain cancer, I felt supported by your team. Sara was the first face I met and she was so welcoming and kind. Sara let me know about Chai Lifeline and in the whirlwind of everything I felt blessed. She connected me with Alana my case manager who has been an unbelievable support. Alana has helped give me strength in these dark times. She has helped me build a circle of support when I need it most. It’s the little things that get you through. That early morning check in to see how your doing after countless days at the hospital, that fresh food that fuels you to get through the day, the toys that always bring a smile to Sweet Ethan’s face, the family model which includes my daughter Chloé to and that connection to the Jewish community which I thought I had lost. I’m so grateful that Chai Lifeline exists because when you have a child with cancer your life stops abruptly, yet you have to keep going. Chai Lifeline is that glimmer of support during this time. ”
