ENTOURAGE
How appropriate the big announcement of Entourage comes out this week... Ian's Yahrzeit is this weekend, September 3rd, his 1st angel anniversary is September 15th. It's hard to believe it's been a year since we held his hand, heard his sweet voice, saw his handsome face... Smelled his scent. Hearing that Entourage was coming to life this week has made the upcoming days a little easier. There are not enough words or ways to say Thank You to the Hurwitz Family. Seeing the relationship Jared and Ian developed over the years was amazing, seeing the smiles in their eyes and hearing the laughter was amazing and something we will always be grateful for. Chai Lifeline was and is an amazing organization that will forever be in our hearts and changed our lives, especially Ian's and Becca's.
ENTOURAGE OFFERS YOUNGER VOLUNTEERS THE OPPORTUNITY TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THE LIVES OF PEERS LIVING WITH ILLNESSES (Article in Chai Lifeline National)
A unique collaboration between Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic and Johns Hopkins Medical Center is integrating young volunteers into Chai Lifeline while creating exciting programs for children battling a number of medical conditions.
Entourage is the brainchild of Tzvi Haber, the region's director of programming. The program is named for the teams of volunteers who plan and execute the activities.
"We work with the child life and social work departments of Johns Hopkins to create programs that all children will enjoy," explained Haber. "Each month a different Entourage group plans a program that all pediatric patients on a specific ward or in a clinic can participate in and enjoy." He emphasized that programs are not specific to children with cancer, but encompass all pediatric departments.
"Our goal is to be a force for positivity and professionalism within the hospital."
The first Entourage event involved a teach from Talmudical Academy of Baltimore. The boys worked with the child life staff to build a multi-station obstacle course for remote-controlled cars on the 11th floor lounge of one of the hospital buildings. They invited all the children on the pediatric ward to come play.
"It was incredible. There were about 20 kinds playing with the cars and completing the course. Kids were laughing and playing and having fun. They were able to forget they were in the hospital while they were there," said Haber. He added that doctors and nurses stopped by during the activity, giving Chai Lifeline a chance to expand its profile in the hospital.
"This is really a win-win-win," he concluded. "On its own, child life departments don't have resources to devote to a single activity like this. Our partnership enabled them to offer an incredible activity to patients. Our Entourage group became our ambassadors in the hospital: they were a shining example of the values of tikkun olam (repairing the world). Finally, it was just plain fun for everyone. All the kids -- the patients and our boys -- had a great afternoon."
Additional Entourage programs are scheduled for Johns Hopkins, and the program begins at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore in September.
(Facebook reveal on August 28, 2017)
A unique collaboration between Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic and Johns Hopkins Medical Center is integrating young volunteers into Chai Lifeline while creating exciting programs for children battling a number of medical conditions.
Entourage is the brainchild of Tzvi Haber, the region's director of programming. The program is named for the teams of volunteers who plan and execute the activities.
"We work with the child life and social work departments of Johns Hopkins to create programs that all children will enjoy," explained Haber. "Each month a different Entourage group plans a program that all pediatric patients on a specific ward or in a clinic can participate in and enjoy." He emphasized that programs are not specific to children with cancer, but encompass all pediatric departments.
"Our goal is to be a force for positivity and professionalism within the hospital."
The first Entourage event involved a teach from Talmudical Academy of Baltimore. The boys worked with the child life staff to build a multi-station obstacle course for remote-controlled cars on the 11th floor lounge of one of the hospital buildings. They invited all the children on the pediatric ward to come play.
"It was incredible. There were about 20 kinds playing with the cars and completing the course. Kids were laughing and playing and having fun. They were able to forget they were in the hospital while they were there," said Haber. He added that doctors and nurses stopped by during the activity, giving Chai Lifeline a chance to expand its profile in the hospital.
"This is really a win-win-win," he concluded. "On its own, child life departments don't have resources to devote to a single activity like this. Our partnership enabled them to offer an incredible activity to patients. Our Entourage group became our ambassadors in the hospital: they were a shining example of the values of tikkun olam (repairing the world). Finally, it was just plain fun for everyone. All the kids -- the patients and our boys -- had a great afternoon."
Additional Entourage programs are scheduled for Johns Hopkins, and the program begins at Sinai Hospital in Baltimore in September.
(Facebook reveal on August 28, 2017)
They say that a revolutionary idea is usually one with its sleeves rolled up.
Today, we at the Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic Region are thrilled to announce the official launch of “CHAI.ENTOURAGE”, Chai Lifeline's revolutionary approach to caring for children confined to the pediatric wards of hospitals in the Baltimore area.
The brainchild of Jared Hurwitz, Entourage” is Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic at its best; offering nondenominational, hospital-based programming for children with diverse medical diagnoses and challenges. The Entourage initiative engages our Chai Lifeline volunteers at the forefront of pediatric healthcare, empowering them to be leaders and role models not just in the Jewish community, but in the greater Baltimore community as a whole.
Working in tight collaboration with the Child Life and Social Work departments of Sinai Hospital and Johns Hopkins University, the Entourage program enables local Chai Lifeline volunteers to develop and implement creative programming for every child in a hospital’s pediatric inpatient wards and outpatient clinics on a monthly basis.
In the past month, our volunteers have built a remote-control race track, and miniature golf-course, from scratch! Pediatric patients, typically subject to the doldrums of a long quiet day in the hospital, were enthralled.
They say that a revolutionary idea is usually one with its sleeves rolled up. Today, once again, Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic rolled up their sleeves.
Chai Lifeline Mid-Atlantic would like to express our appreciation to the extraordinary David and Cheri Hurwitz and family for sponsoring the Entourage program in memory of Jared's beloved ChaiSib, Ian Scher. Ian was a superhero to us all and a boy who we know would have been the most incredible Chai.Entourage volunteer.
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