Can you really understand what it’s like to be the parent of a child with cancer unless you’ve been there?
The folks at St. Jude Children's Research Hospital decided that the best way to help new patients is to help their parents by bringing in parent coaches who have.
St. Jude calls them "parent mentors." They rely on their insight and perceptive to anticipate the needs of moms and dads facing a family medical crisis.
"It was almost as if, 'Yes, you've been through this, you know what it's like, yes I want to talk to you, yes I want another parent to talk to.' Such a powerful connection between the two of them, that's how it is," Brittany Barnett, the Patient Family Care Center Manager, said.
One of the missions of the research hospital is to treat the patient, but support the entire family. The program boasts former patient parents who are lining up to volunteer to give back to the hospital that gave them hope.
"They want to support our families, they want to support our staff, our nurses, our doctors, everybody at every level," Barnett said. "Their heart is to help those who helped their kiddo, so I would say by far the best part of my job is working with parents seeing their passion, and their mission matching our mission."
This is how your donations make a difference. The children and families who go to St. Jude only have to worry about getting better.
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