The Bone Marrow Transplant has a Liaison Team who performs an important practical and supportive role for families from pre-admission to the period following discharge.
In response to many requests from parents, they have set up a Parent Support Group. Many parents have commented on their feelings of isolation and loneliness while helping their children fight for their lives. When the family return home they often find life more isolating as family and friends don’t understand the ordeal they have gone through.
We recognise that while all the staff on the Unit always try to be informative, supportive and caring, parents derive a lot of comfort from sharing their experiences with other parents who understand exactly what they are going through.
So, if any parent or family member would like to get in touch with another parent, the Liaison Team will arrange this and try to match the parent in need with another whose knowledge and experience will be of most help.
Additionally, once a year, the Liaison Team, invites all parents of surviving children to an open day. This provides an opportunity to meet other parents, share experiences, get updates on research, conditions and treatments.
Importantly, parents say that it helps them to get back to a normal life and reduces the stress and anxiety they suffer.
