Vanessa was diagnosed with lymphoma cancer in 2016. She was told by her doctor that her cancer was in its early stages and curable with chemotherapy. Unfortunately, her cancer progressed and the young mom of a three-year-old daughter and one-year-old son quickly found herself in and out of the hospital.
As my health deteriorated, I was unable to do the usual things I did as a mom, like getting my kids ready for school and taking care of the house.
Although always independent, Vanessa realized how important it was to have a support system to rely on. She reached out to family members who stepped in to lend a hand from time to time. Vanessa was connected to the Nanny Angel Network and was provided with four hours a week of support to help her kids better understand and cope with her illness. Her Nanny Angel volunteer would pick her kids from school, take them to their after-school activities and also help get them ready for dinner when they got home.
“My Nanny Angel volunteer helped alleviate some of the burdens by giving me a couple of hours to spend focusing on myself and what I needed to do to get better. I could rest assured and focus on my wellness and appointments knowing my kids were in safe hands.”
Despite changes in her energy level and physical capabilities as a result of her treatments, Vanessa wanted to be very much part of her kids’ lives. She still made time to connect with them, playing card and board games like Connect 4, Monopoly and Uno. And when she felt stronger, she dropped and picked them up from school.
“Mothers are always seen as the backbone of the family. But we also need a helping hand every now and then. So, it is important we take advantage of the resources available to us and believe it is going to get better.”