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The PairWISE Program is a long-term peer mentor program designed to provide ongoing, virtual support for caregivers of pediatric patients who are dealing with a cancer or blood disorder diagnosis for the first time by matching them with a formally trained volunteer mentor whose child also received treatment at Dana-Farber.
PairWISE volunteer mentors may include parents, guardians, other adult caregivers of pediatric patients. Mentors are trained by PairWISE staff to provide one-on-one support to other caregivers (mentees).
Mentors can only communicate with their mentees through virtual means of communication (i.e. phone calls, text, email, and/or video calls). In-person and/or social meetings are outside the scope of this program's guidelines and the volunteer's role.
Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS, and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.
Volunteering at Dana-Farber is a rewarding and enriching experience. Dana-Farber staff, donors, and volunteers all work toward a common goal of defeating cancer. As a supplemental resource for patients and families, volunteers who work at Dana-Farber are closely linked to this mission, as are those who volunteer at events that raise essential funds to support it. Volunteers are committed and reliable people who make a very real difference, everywhere they work.
Goal: Caregivers of patients (mentees) will feel supported in navigating the medical system, aware of possible resources, and less isolated in their child's illness experience. Mentees will experience decreased anxiety, greater sense of control, and increased satisfaction in their overall experience of patient family-centered care. Mentors will provide insight, guidance, and empathy from the perspective of someone who has walked a similar path and can relate to their child's treatment and illness experience.
Activities

• Provide a reliable and safe space for your mentee(s) to ask questions and express their emotions
• Listen to the concerns and challenges your mentee(s) share with you
• Offer a calm, empathetic, and supportive presence
• Be flexible and sensitive to the unique needs of your mentee(s) and their families, with attention to cultural, religious, and personal differences
• Discuss symptoms and/or side effects that your mentee(s) child experienced
• Talk about what to expect from surgery, radiation, chemotherapy, or other treatments
• Discuss the challenges of caregiving for a child with significant medical needs
• Identify supportive resources and available programs
• Discuss how to communicate their child's diagnosis and treatment plan with their child, siblings, and other loved ones, etc.
• Talk about issues your child(ren) faced given their age/developmental stage during treatment
• Discuss the impact of their child's diagnosis on your mentee's family as whole - e.g., siblings, partner/spouse, extended family, etc.
• Discuss workplace issues - e.g., advocating for remote work, reducing work hours, etc.
• Provide insight related to issues unique to survivorship
• Maintain confidentiality at all times
• Respond in a timely manner to PairWISE program administrator's outreach regarding matches with mentees

Limitations

• Do not give medical advice, opinions, or assumptions regarding a patient's illness, diagnosis, or treatment options.
• Volunteers should refer patients to their physician if they have questions about their current treatment plan, protocol, and medications.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are equally committed to diversifying our faculty, staff, and volunteers. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.