STRIVE HEALTH MENTORING

Sickle cell Teens Raising awareness, Initiating change, Voicing opinions and Empowering

themselves!

Volunteer Recruitment Information SessionsApril 17, 2012April 18, 2012

STRIVE: WHO ARE WE?

Undergraduate CSRSO

Group of 10 enthusiastic, caring, dedicated, and committed mentors

2 Program Coordinators

We are all leaders and team players

Premeds and non-premeds!

STRIVE: WHAT DO WE DO?

Provide support through mentoring one-on-one and in a group setting at La Rabida Children’s Hospital

Educate teens with SCD on how to take care of themselves

Help transition into healthy adults who can manage SCD

Teach mentees to become self-advocates

Help teens take charge of their health and lives with SCD

WHAT IS SICKLE CELL DISEASE?

Genetic disease where red blood cells form a crescent “sickle” shape

Caused by an abnormal form of hemoglobin, hemoglobin S

Persons with the disease have Hb SS, inherited from both parents.

The sickled cells deliver less oxygen to the body and can clog small blood vessels.

WHAT HAPPENS DURING A PAIN CRISIS?

Pain episodes (crises) occur when sickle cells cluster in vessels and block blood and oxygen flow to tissues.

Pain can last from a few hours to a few days.

Hydroxyurea and Folic Acid are used to reduce the number of crises.

Blood transfusions can also be necessary to treat a crises or prevent stroke.

WHAT ARE SOCIAL IMPLICATIONS OF SICKLE CELL DISEASE? The variant severity of the illness can cause

confusion in medical facilities.

Racial and socio-economic stigmas have lead many to incorrectly assume immunity.

It can manifest as a chronic illness requiring lifelong health care and medication.

WHY IS STRIVE NECESSARY? Adolescents with sickle cell disease

experience obstacles to normal peer relationships:Chronic, disabling, and recurrent painLack of understanding, disbeliefFrequent school absencesInability to participate in many

extracurricular activities

WHERE DO WE COME IN?Support for adolescent

sickle cell patients to discuss issues unique to their disease:

-Frequent medical visits/hospitalizations

-Missed interactions with peers/school absences

-Perceptions as a “sick(ly)” classmate

-Fears about progression of disease with age

-Concerns about responsibilities of chronic disease

COMPONENTS OF STRIVE

Peer Support: Patients establish a rapport

with empathic and successful students of higher learning Closer in age to peer

group Non-healthcare encounter Voluntary FUN activities!

Mentorship: Inspires goals/aspirations

Allows for patterning of behavior after a realistic role model

Assists with healthier coping responses to chronic disease

A TYPICAL SESSION Arrival and Snack –

catch up and chat over some delicious food prepared by one of our fantastic mentors!

Highs and Lows – our little way of talking about the good and bad parts of the last week

Tutoring and One-on-One Time

Weekly Lesson Plan – discussing topics like Bio, psychosocial issues, self-advocacy

Shout-Outs –we say goodbye with a weekly ritual

SOME STRIVE LESSONS Transition from

childhood to adulthood in sickle cell disease Changes in hospital

and clinic care Established health

care providers discharge from pediatric care

More responsibility needed on the part of the teen patient

Discovery of bias that exists towards adults with chronic pain on significant narcotics, etc.

MENTOR RESPONSIBILITIES Components for success

Comfortable and fun settingNonjudgmental, empathic guidanceFocus on activity and not disability

Weekly commitments2 hour session + transportation timeWeekly phone call to menteeWeekly 1 hour mentor meeting

Year-long commitmentQuarterly field tripsAdvocacy project!

THANK YOU FOR COMING! WE LOOK FORWARD TO READING YOUR APPLICATION!

Feel free to email us if you have any questions: strivementors@gmail.com

Also, you can visit our website: strivementors.wordpress.com