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 ;
- 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;
- Transportation assistance that assures that patients and caregivers don’t miss medical appointments;
- Counseling for patients, parents, and siblings.
- Telephone support groups.
200
Sick children receiving support
2,000
Family members receiving support
Family members receiving support
“You have a way about you that makes a person feel cared for simply by being in the room with them. It was only because of you that we did not drown in the pain and distress that cancer has brought into our lives.”
