Hamilton-area parents who are fighting cancer while raising their families are getting an extra helping hand thanks to the arrival of an agency dedicated to supporting them.
The Nanny Angel Network [now Nankind], which provides child support for parents being treated for cancer and has supported some Hamilton mothers on an ad hoc basis for years from its Toronto offices, has expanded into the city.
The network officially set up in Hamilton in April, but is continuing to look for volunteers and community partners, said Alyssa Gallant, a certified child life specialist with the organization.
“It’s three different things we are looking for: community partners to refer families to us or looking for families that need the support; it’s looking for volunteers who can give that support; and then, of course, it’s looking for community donors and corporations that can help fund the support for the families in the community.”
Funded in 2009 in Toronto, the network provides free of charge trained nannies to help parents who are going through cancer treatment — a process that can drain a person completely, making regular tasks like caring for children vastly more difficult.