Wonders & Worries
{{Short description|U.S. nonprofit organization}}
thumb{{Infobox organization
| formation = August 8, 2001
| founder = Meredith Cooper, MA, CCLS, LPC and Melissa Hicks, MS, CCLS, LPC, RPT
| location = Austin, Texas
| staff = 18
| website = {{URL|https://www.wondersandworries.org/}}
}}
Wonders & Worries is a nonprofit organization (501(c)(3)) based in Austin, Texas, that provides professional support for children through a parent's illness, such as cancer, multiple sclerosis, diabetes, Lou Gehrig's disease, posttraumatic stress disorder and Alzheimer's disease.{{cite web|title=Wonders & Worries: A family's illness. A child's journey.|url=http://www.hospiceofwake.org/wondersandworries|publisher=Hospice of Wake County|accessdate=12 June 2013}}{{cite web|title=General Cancer Resources|url=http://www.texasoncology.com/austin/breast-cancer-program/helpful-links.aspx|accessdate=12 June 2013}}
Services are provided without charge in English or Spanish by a Certified Child Life Specialist to families in Central Texas.{{cite news|last=Taylor|first=Lyndsey|title=Kids with seriously ill parents find support|url=http://impactnews.com/austin-metro/northwest-austin/wonders-%26-worries/|accessdate=12 June 2013|newspaper=Community Impact Newspaper|date=February 28, 2013}} Pilot programs have been implemented in Raleigh, North Carolina;{{cite news|title=Hosopice of Wake County creates children's counseling program|url=http://www.wakeliving.com/News.aspx?li=3536|accessdate=12 June 2013|newspaper=Wake Living Published Quarterly|date=November 23, 2010}} Ottawa, Canada;{{cite web|title=It's Personal-Cancer Foundation News|url=http://www.ottawacancer.ca/en/its-personal/cancer-foundation-newsletter/e-newsletter-2012-september/wonders-and-worries-.aspx|publisher=Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation|accessdate=12 June 2013}} and San Antonio, Texas. A randomized clinical trial for the organization's curriculum is underway.{{Cite web|url=https://clinicaltrials.gov/show/NCT02758639|title=Wonders & Worries: A Clinical Trial of a Psychosocial Intervention for Children Who Have a Parent With Cancer - Full Text View - ClinicalTrials.gov|website=clinicaltrials.gov|access-date=2016-07-28}}
History
Wonders & Worries was launched with the support of the Lance Armstrong Foundation (LAF), which provided funding in spring 2001 to conduct a pilot support group for children who had a parent with cancer.{{cite web|last=Balletta|first=Nick|title=Balletta: After All the Lies Can Lance Armstrong 'EmergeStrong?|website=CNBC|date=18 January 2013 |url=https://www.cnbc.com/2013/01/18/balletta-after-all-the-lies-can-lance-armstrong-emergestrong.html}} LAF provided an additional grant in fall 2001 to expand services to include a school-age support group, an adolescent support group, individual counseling for children who have a parent with cancer, and quarterly social functions to reunite Wonders & Worries clients.{{cite web|title=Livestrong Milestones|date=12 March 2016 |url=http://www.livestrong.org/Who-We-Are/Our-History/Milestones|publisher=Livestrong Foundation}}
Services
Individual Sessions: for children aged 2–18yrs
Group Sessions: helping children aged 5+ meet other children coping with similar experiences
Child/Parent Relationship Training Classes: teaching parents how to reconnect with their children during an illness or following a loss
Informal Support / Recreational Group Activities – allowing families to enjoy being together in a fun, relaxing environment
Bereavement Support Sessions – helping families prepare for the end of life and gain skills that will help them cope with the loss{{cite news|title=Wonders & Worries Services|url=http://www.wondersandworries.org/what-we-do/our-services/}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- [https://www.wondersandworries.org/ Official website]
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Category:Counseling organizations
Category:Medical and health organizations based in Texas
Category:Cancer charities in the United States