An unmet need for parents

[Karen]

With so many members with small kids lately trying to figure out how to juggle treatment and childcare I was just thinking how great it would be to have a really good daycare center associated with the hospitals so the family could be in one place but the kids can have the space to just be kids.

Are there places like that or do hospitals help out at all in this area?

[mrsdavid1969]

Karen, it would be a fantastic idea but unfortunately I don't know of anywhere, the couple of times I had to take the kids into see Dave, I would loved to have dropped them somewhere, it's not a place for kids. Jox

[mercyriver]

I can only imagine how difficult something like that would be. It would be VERY nice, but hard to pull together I am sure. I know some hospitals have child care on site for workers at the hospital, but that is about it and far and few between at that.

I do have to say though, going through this with 3 young children has inspired me a bit. My brain is now trying to come up with different ideas of what I might be able to do some day to help other parents who are facing cancer with young children. And now that you have brought this up, it just ads to my ideas.

It may be a while before I could actually act on any thing, but man, I can not tell you how big of need I am starting to see this to be. And I am sure it will not get any better till someone does something about it.

Here's to dreaming!

We will see what the future brings!

Becki

[Karen]

Becki,
I know what you mean...I was thinking of this a lot yesterday and wondering what the logistics would be to get something like that off the ground. It would be a lot harder than a typical day care center because the needs would be variable and short term. Some parents would just need a few hours and others a whole day. There is a huge need for this...kind of along the lines of Ronald McDonald Houses.

[mercyriver]

kind of along the lines of Ronald McDonald Houses.

There you go, the Rondald McDonald Houses, maybe it is something they could create and take on....intigrate into their program. I never thought of that.

You have me thinking again.....

Becki

[Jilleighn]

When my husband went through Chemo our daughter was 18months old. Man was that hard. I totally agree we need a place to use.

[Karen]

Me too! It needs to be in a neighborhood very near the hospital and comfy like home. Check out the RMH site....it starts out with....

"The idea behind the Ronald McDonald House program is simple: Provide a "home away from home" for families of seriously ill children receiving treatment at nearby hospitals."

So we need a "home away from home for children of seriously ill parents receiving treatment at nearby hospitals"...not even a home to STAY, just to be for the day.

Becki, the wheels are spinning!

[Racing for life]

I think you are heading in a great direction. That has been a huge issue with us. We have two girls and everytime he gets addmitted to the hospital I start my juggling routine. All day at the hospital, which is an hour and a half away, back home for the evening, then on the road again either after they go to sleep and I get someone to come stay, or I leave after I get them on the bus. Even a RMH would not work for people in a situation like ours but at least on the weekends it might help. I am very lucky and have my husbands family to lean on and some really great friends to car pool the kids for me.