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Volunteer nannies for moms who need them

imageThe Nanny Angel Network is an organization that offers free relief childcare to mothers diagnosed with cancer. Their professional nannies volunteer to visit mothers who are in treatment for cancer and offer them a few hours of relief so they can rest and recover.
They say:

The Nanny Angel Network was founded in 2009 by Audrey Guth, President and CEO of Diamond Personnel, a nanny placement agency. The Network was created to link volunteer professional nannies to mothers with cancer (breast cancer in Toronto, Calgary, Vancouver, Ottawa; all forms of cancer in Toronto). The Network aims to further expand its full cancer relief nanny care services across the rest of the country. Initial funding was provided generously by Rethink Breast Cancer. Long-term funding beginning in 2011 will be provided by Diamond Personnel and Nanny Angel Network fundraising initiatives. The Network is managed by a full-time program manager who matches women with volunteer nannies, and helps facilitate the nanny volunteer training program.

Nanny Angels volunteer their time and provide mothers with the security that their children are being well looked after, while mothers get some much needed rest, go to appointments, or simply have time for themselves for a minimum of eight hours per month. To qualify, mothers must be currently in cancer treatment, or in the early stages of recovery, with a child under the age of 12. To date, over 88 families from across the country have benefited from the Nanny Angel Network.

All nanny volunteers are experienced and are thoroughly screened before joining the program. Nanny Angels are required to have at least one year of experience as a nanny, a clean police report, a good reference from their current employer, and a personal interview by Nanny Angel Network staff. In addition to comprehensive disease background instruction, each volunteer Angel receives training in first-aid, CPR, healthy eating and living, safety in the home, and coping with child behavioural changes that may take place when a parent is ill.
In 2011, the disease background instruction was expanded from a focus on breast cancer to an overview of the most common cancers that affect women, in addition to cancer treatment, the recovery process, and understanding the psychological and emotional effects the disease may have on the family.
They help all mothers regardless of financial situation. The program has helped relieve families who are new to the country or who simply do not have family support nearby, as well as single parent families. Additionally the program is a huge source of stress relief for dads and extended support networks as well. A cancer diagnosis is difficult enough to deal with; moms have the added pressure of worrying about their kids and how they will cope with caring for them through this time. It gives moms a chance to really focus on their wellbeing and recovery.

Visit nannyangelnetwork.com or call 877.731.8866 for more information.

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