Abeer Salim is fighting for her life. A single mother in the late stages of terminal cancer, she says her treatments and chemotherapy often leave her so drained that she cannot get out of bed, let alone do the one thing the brightens her day the most — play with her young son.
For months now, she has relied on friends to watch four-year-old Mohamed as she battles to reclaim her health. But like many who juggle the roles of young mother and cancer patient, she has found her energy can only take her so far.
“On a 24-hour basis, (it’s) like we are taking care of each other,” Salim told CTV’s Peter Akman. That was until she met a network of angels, or rather, the Nanny Angel Network (NAN).
The registered charity provides free in-home childcare for mothers who have been diagnosed with cancer, are undergoing palliative care, or are in need of relief during a time of bereavement. Nanny Angels volunteer their time so mothers can get much-needed rest, go to appointments, run errands, or simply have some time alone. Each mother receives between two and four hours per week.
This is an excerpt from a feature on CTV. To keep reading and watch the video featurette, proceed to CTVnews.ca here.