Connecting with Other Parents: Parents United - Parent Support Program

February 3, 2021

The benefits of Parent-to-Parent Connections: One Parent’s Story
We were hesitant to have a spine fusion done for our 15-year-old son. He had a 120 degree Cobb’s angle curve - His scoliosis was like a mountain peak. One day, when I was volunteering for JMCC in the Family Resource Centre, I met the father of a 15 year-old who had had a spine fusion. The father was pleased with the result of the surgery, despite the fact that his child had to have another surgery to clean the wounds of infection and also needed to take antibiotics. Another day, I met with a surgeon who suggested that our son have the spine fusion from T2 to L4 and not from T2 to pelvis as was planned in order to maintain his ability. My talk with a parent gave me the courage to make a difficult decision, and the inter-professional collaboration between two surgeons helped my son maintain his ability to move better. My son had his spine fusion six months ago, and I am happy and glad with how things are going. Parent-to-parent connections and conversations benefit us all and inter-professional collaboration delivers the highest quality of care. As parents of children with special needs, it is important to learn from each other and apply what we have learned in order to benefit our kids the most, while remembering that our children are individuals and are in need of individualized planning.

• Ahmad El-Morad, JMCC dad & Family Advisory Council Member

Parents United: Parent Support Program: This program was designed by members of JMCC’s Family Advisory Council to connect parents with experienced and trained parent volunteers to offer emotional support and to share their lived experiences and learn from one another. The support offers parents an opportunity to talk with someone who has walked in their shoes and truly understands what they going through. 

  
 

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