Peer Support

A Peer Support is a parent or guardian that has walked through Childhood Illness, Hospitalizations, or Child Loss and would like to support a parent or guardian with a child currently navigating Childhood Illness, Hospitalizations, or Child Loss.

Peer Supports:

Provide one on one prayer and encouragement to families by their preferred method of communication (email or text) at least one time per week
Offer personal experience and understanding
Provide occasional phone calls as a listening ear
Will remain connected for as long as needed, there is no set timeline

Families can, and should, feel safe and comfortable to reach out to the Peer Support as they wish with updates, prayer requests, questions etc. They can expect to typically receive a response within

24 hours.

Peer Supports are matched with parents with similar experiences to the best of our ability by allowing families to have say in what Peer Support might best match their current journey.

Frequently Asked Questions

Will I ever meet my Peer Support?

It is very unlikely that you will ever meet your Peer Support in person. Peer Supports at this time are a virtual (by phone/email) support only, but this is a hope for the future of our program.

What “qualifies” my Peer Support?

All Peer Supports have experience with their own child journeying through childhood illness, hospitalizations, or experiencing child loss. They are also required to read educational documents as an informal training on topics like active listening and Postpartum Depression, as well as sign a Peer Support Agreement.

What will my Peer Support do with what I share?

This information is to be kept confidential, unless stated otherwise, or deemed unsafe. You will however be asked to complete an optional anonymous survey about your care to better improve our Peer Support program.

What if I no longer wish to receive support?

This is a voluntary, optional program. If you no longer wish to connect, we ask that if you can, just notify your Peer Support that you no longer need this program’s support

What if my child leaves the NICU, but still has ongoing needs that I would like support for?

There is not a set timeline for our program. It is until you and your Peer Support decide that you have reached your goal and you no longer feel the support is needed.

Why Choose a
Peer Support?

According to the March of Dimes, roughly 30,000 (1 in 10) babies are born pre-term (before 37 weeks) each month in the United States alone, and 1 in 4 women experience pregnancy loss.

Pre-term babies are more likely to have hospital stays and long term health issues. These are contributing factors to increased stress and declining mental health among parents.
Parents who receive ongoing support, like our 1:1 Peer Support, are more likely to feel that they are not alone, can feel seen in their experiences, and often have a better chance to become resilient, feel empowered, and heal.

Parents who receive a Peer Support connection can also have higher confidence, problem solving capacity, coping, acceptance of their situation, and self-esteem.

https://www.marchofdimes.org/prematurity-awareness-month

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4694192/

https://publications.aap.org/pediatrics/article/145/6/e20193567/76949/Helping-Parents-Cope-in-the-NICU?autologincheck=redirected

Meet Our Peer Supports

Hannah

I am the mother of three children. Our youngest is now one year old. She had a 10 day stay in our local NICU due to difficulties in diagnosing elevated liver enzymes, later diagnosed as a combination of effects from a shunt and rare blood incompatibility. Following discharge, we attended ongoing appointments with hematology and GI for several months, as well as received weekly labs. We are now currently connected with Neuro after a recent diagnosis of mild cerebral palsy impacting one leg, and benign cysts that are awaiting genetic testing. I would love to support a parent beginning a similar journey with prayer, identifying resources, encouragement, and as a listening ear.

“...who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves receive from God. “ 2 Corinthians 1:4

Requesting Peer Support