cancer patient volunteer organization?!


Question: Cancer patient volunteer organization?
I'm looking for volunteer organizations for cancer patients, my neighbor died of cancer about 2 years ago and I've always felt really bad about his condition before he died. I've had some extremely frightening experiences in the Hospital and these people who are dieing of this disease... They must be scared out of their minds... I'm looking to volunteer and help them. I'm willing to donate my time to basically be a "guardian angel" to them- I am willing to skip sports and band to go and read a book to a child/children with cancer.

If you know of any organizations on the east coast (PA area) where you can go read a book to kids or just be there and talk to kids (not just kids- any age is fine with me) with cancer and make them feel better please leave a comment.

Answers:

Best Answer - Chosen by Voters

Contact your local hospitals. PA has some great children's hospitals (CHOP is routinely one of the best children's hospitals in the country.) You can Google the hospitals and then search the sites for volunteer department. This will lead you to the guidelines, a volunteer application, or at least give you a phone number to contact someone about volunteering. Call up the coordinator and ask how you go about applying, if that's not on the website.

When you do inquire, please do not call yourself a guardian angel to the children. While it's a great thing to want to do, many volunteer coordinators will be turned off by that phrase.

Another option might be Gilda's Club. www.gildasclub.org This is an organization formed to provide support to people with cancer and their families, and they often take volunteers. You can go to the website to find out if there's one near you.

Keep in mind that children with cancer are children first. My hospital is generally a happy place. When the kids have to stay overnight, they have their parents with them. There is a beautiful playroom, tons of toys and games, and lots of special events. The same goes for when they come to clinic as outpatients to get chemo or tests. My playroom is often noisy and chaotic- with happy noise and happy chaos. Volunteers are a HUGE help in playing with kids, watching kids so the parents can get a break, leading art activities, helping with special events like ice cream parties, rocking babies, etc. But when a child is scared and needs help dealing with the fear, that's something for a professional (a child life specialist or a social worker) to work with. I'm not telling you this to discourage you from volunteering, but to give you a realistic expectation of volunteering with children with cancer.

Child life specialist working with children with cancer.



best place to start is your local hospitals, or a nearby city hospital. Your first step should be watch and observe. Children just want to be kids, play, talk, etc. whatever they are able to do in their condition. You will find that they are strong and unafraid of the hospital and medical procedures.

Adults also like companionship and assistance in doing things that their condition might be limiting them. If you have not experienced cancer or the treatments, you cannot fully understand that the patients feel or think. Your best support is to be a care giver. Prepare meals, run errors, talk, listen, assist in routine task...

two time melanoma survivor




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