Over the course of many years, our family has endured the rough and painful journey of illness and loss.
Chai4ever has supported us throughout it all.
When Miri OBM realized that her condition was worsening, she insisted on only the best support for the kids. We contacted Chai4ever, who embraced us immediately. Chai4ever’s crisis team guided us through this difficult process. As Miri was unable to travel far from home, they provided counseling in-home for Miri. They counseled my son in school on a weekly basis until he began to see the outpatient therapist that they set up for him, and they met with me in the hospital to guide me on end-of-life issues. As Miri’s health crisis intensified, so did the support. Chai4ever sent volunteers- always with food in hand, of course- to the ICU at any hour of the day or night so that I could spend some time with the children. They arranged lodging and meals for me on a moment’s notice when I needed to stay near the hospital. And on that Friday afternoon which I will never forget, there were two people present to support me when I told the children that their mother had passed away: our Chai4ever social worker, and the kids’ therapist.
And then there is Camp4ever, an amazing program of Chai4ever that addresses challenges of kids like ours head-on. This traveling camp provides children with laughter, fun, and healing in a nurturing environment where parental illness is the norm, not the exception. Each child has their own counselor, who cheers on the camper throughout this turbulent time. The Camp4ever family creates a network of people who support each other every day of the year and ensure that no child ever has to struggle alone. Camp4ever, paired with the practical, emotional, and financial help that Chai4ever provides, is literally life-saving.
I have decided to raise $18,000 to help 5 additional children attend camp and change their lives forever. Camp4ever currently has dozens of campers on the waiting list who are anxiously hoping to hear that they can come to camp.
Please help us do for these kids what Chai4ever has done for ours.
Please contribute generously; the moments until camp are ticking down! May we soon see the day when families no longer suffer from a serious illness.
Jay
