JoyRx® Mentorship (formerly Chemo Pal Mentor Program) fosters trusted companionship to inspire laughter and distraction. The only program of its kind in the nation, Children’s Cancer Association’s trained, adult volunteer JoyRx Mentors provide emotional support to young patients in treatment and critical support to parents who endure the hardship of long hospital stays with their children.
A cross between a supportive playmate and trusted listener, JoyRx Mentors bring lightness. In the hospital, they arrive with bags full of toys, games, and activities and do their best to make their young friends belly laugh and smile ear-to-ear to relieve their stress and anxiety, dispelling feelings of loneliness and isolation. Virtually and remotely, they spend time on chat and Zoom video calls and exchange old fashioned pen-pal letters. Mentorships can last multiple years and often the bonds of friendship are still strong long after the final treatment.
Since 1999, the program has matched more than 1,500 kids undergoing lengthy treatment regimens with a trained and trusted adult mentor volunteer.
During this time of quarantine and social distancing, CCA’s award-winning JoyRx Mentorship program is facilitating virtual matches to provide young patients with a caring and trusted adult mentor during treatment. Virtual matches will meet via video chat to give kids additional support and companionship during hospital appointments, in-patient stays, or while isolating at home.
Request a Virtual Match“When Raul was first diagnosed, he was sad all the time. He felt sick, scared, and treatments were frequent and difficult. When he got to meet his JoyRx Mentor, Diego, we could see him starting to show glimmers of looking happy again. Diego’s friendship has been wonderful for Raul and provided him a lot of support, which in turn, provides me a lot of support. This has been intense and difficult for our entire family, so when Raul has Diego to play with and distract him, it’s the help I need, too.”
—Marisol, mom to Raul, acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL)
Help fill our JoyRx Mentorship closet with the most requested toys, games, books, and crafts. Please note: Due to children’s compromised immune systems and sanitary requirements, we can only accept donations of NEW toys.
When Janalyn’s son, Spencer, was diagnosed with neuroblastoma just before his 13th birthday, she saw firsthand how powerful and healing Joy can be. During his first prolonged hospital stay, Spencer shut down. He refused every comfort, interaction, and activity offered—until CCA’s trained MyMusicRx® musicians, Cameron and Jean, walked through the door. “I remember when we… Read more »
Seriously ill children, teens, and their families remain isolated in quarantine, cut off from the support of extended family, friends, and the world around them. CCA is committed to continuing service delivery for this vulnerable population, who are deeply impacted by this pandemic. With physical distancing strategies in place, our team continues to innovate new methods to deliver JoyRx remotely. Here are some of the ways our… Read more »
The pandemic has left many of us experiencing heightened feelings of anxiety, stress, uncertainty, and isolation—feelings incredibly familiar to Lance and Chloe, whose son, Bo, was diagnosed with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) when he was just nine months old. Between four inpatient stays totaling 166 days away from home and extra precautions during and after… Read more »