Presentation Of the Charity

Do not go where the path may lead, go instead where there is no path and leave a trail

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Oscars Angels is a non-profit charity that cares and support emotionally and financially families with children with brain and spinal tumours and severe neurological problems. We are present in the Neurosurgery, Neurology, Oncology and ICU Units.

Our mission comes out of the personal experience of our founders, whose lives were changed forever in 1995 by a tragic drawing accident involving their 6 year old nephew Oscar. Faced with such a crisis they created OSCARS ANGELS Charity to be able to share what they've learned and to try to make it easier for other families.

OUR WORK :
We then created the first Parent Advocate Program in France in the Childrens Hospital of Toulouse and, with the help of healthcare staff, a new kind of volunteer that is perfectly integrated in the medical teams and shares with them all information necessary to care for the family in the best possible way. This exceptional and innovative new role is being recognized as essential by the medical community in support not only to the families but also to the healthcare staff as it brings them understanding of the emotional stress and needs the families have to face during these painful experiences.

Our primary task is to offer on-going daily guidance and emotional support for the families during their hospital stay and all through their child illness, help them understand complex medical information and give financial assistance when necessary. Our volunteer assists the parents through the diagnostic and therapeutic process, while maintaining an honest and open communication about the child's disease and the status of treatment. Our presence helps them understand and cope with the crisis they face. We also help parents deal effectively with the family disruption and turmoil that can result in marital, sibling and peer conflicts. Oscars Angels volunteer can help the family obtain the assistance they need from various members of the psychosocial and paediatric team. Oscars Angels is also recognised in the hospital community for its unique work as a family support charity in the Paediatric End-ofLife Care. Oscars Angels is supported by grants and donations and is provided at no cost to the family.

OSCARS ANGELS Today: As of today we have 163 members. Since 1998 we supported financially or emotionally more then 1500 families Our volunteers are present in the hospital Units daily, for an average of 10 hours a day. Two volunteers are on call for emergencies at night and at the weekend. One highly specialized and trained volunteer is on all 24/7 to support families with children in Palliative Care New volunteers are receiving specific training to join our teams in 2014

OSCARS ANGELS out of the borders

With a totally innovative approach, the association has been able to adapt and integrate within the hospital, as well as with families. Today, it is ready to extend its activities beyond the boundaries in order to encourage other charities or hospitals to start such programs. In 2012 we presented our work to the Great Ormond Street Hospital in London at to the Boston Childrens Hospital in Boston, USA. Their appreciation of the help we give to sick children and their families in partnership with the medical teams reinforced our belief that we must carry on so that other families in other hospitals can have the same support. Next October we will share our experience with the Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia.

OUR PROJECTS: At the request of families we helped and of health professionals we are working on opening two branches of OSCARS ANGELS: one in the USA, based in New York and one in Italy, based in Milan and Naples. This will allow us to get in touch more easily with families in need and to help local communities start such programs in their hospitals.