 is a program that does just what its name implies…Shines the spotlight On the Siblings of critically ill children. So often, these siblings experience circumstantial neglect when their brother or sister is hospitalized. This is not to fault the parents at all… EAMF understands that the main focus and resources need to be directed towards the sick child and their treatment. However, this can lead the siblings to feeling lost and invisible. At EAMF, we “get it.” We get that parents don’t have enough time, energy, or emotional strength… they are just tapped out. We get that siblings are vulnerable to a wide range of feelings… feelings of fear, of being a burden to their overly stressed parents, conflicted feelings of worry, jealousy, and even hatred for their sick sibling. We get that there are no other social programs devoted strictly to the siblings of pediatric patients. Most childhood cancer/illness organizations focus on the sick child and will only sometimes “include” the sibling in special events. We get the fact that there is a need for someone to reach out and help ease the guilt that these parents are feeling. We are not therapists, we are not claiming to heal the emotional scars of pediatric illness… but we can limit the size of the wound. The program is unique and groundbreaking.All the events are designed for the Siblings ONLY, giving them the opportunity to Shine and feel special. Our volunteers focus all the love and attention on these lost siblings by creating fun and memorable events insuring that each sibling receives the individual attention they need and rightly deserve. Please contact EAMF if you would like more information about bringing to your hospital,know a sibling that might benefit from the program,or would like to volunteer your time and talents to bring smiles to the faces of the lost and invisible Siblings of pediatric patients. |
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