Survivor And Caregiver Task Force
This month’s VAC article is written by Stefanie Abate, the Rhode Island Affiliate Chair and VAC member. She, along with a very passionate group of volunteers including Barb Geraghty, Roberta Luna, and Cathy Schwandt with staff partners Jo-Ann Crank and Shanle Vandermeer, comprised the Survivor and Caregiver task force that worked on developing tactics and strategies for the new role. The Survivor and Caregiver Engagement Chair Guide is now available on Volunteer Central for chairs to utilize in their affiliates. Below, Stefanie recounts the work the task force did over the past 9 months to get where we are now.
The mission of our Survivor and Caregiver task force was to develop ways to meaningfully engage, recognize and retain survivors and caregivers.
Our task force determined that before we could begin to engage caregivers, we needed to define what a caregiver means. After a lot of thought and discussion, we created our definition for caregiver. The work of a caregiver is done willingly and selflessly. Most caregivers do their work quietly, invisibly and many times around the clock. Once you are a caregiver, you are always a caregiver.
After we defined caregiver, we turned our focus to developing meaningful strategies to recognize and engage survivors and caregivers at PurpleStride events. The group enjoyed working on these ideas and built from best practices many of you are already doing in your communities.
We created ‘Caregivers have Heart’ heart-shaped stickers. These stickers for caregivers compliment the stickers that we currently give to survivors. Both stickers are an easy, fun way to identify and recognize survivors and caregivers at PurpleStride events.
A member of our task force attended PurpleStride LA and told everyone about the purple pinwheels given out during the event. We loved the idea, especially after we learned that the Chinese culture believes the pinwheel is an instrument to turn obstacles into opportunities. We decided that purple pinwheels should be given out during PurpleStride events. The pinwheels would be highlighted during the opening ceremony program and provide another opportunity to recognize caregivers and survivors.
We created a clothesline where survivors can write ‘heartfelt’ notes with messages of gratitude and thanks to their caregivers on heart-shaped note cards using purple clothespins. These clotheslines could be hung in tents during PurpleStride events.
We decided to include the caregiver ribbon pins with the survivor gifts for survivors to give to their caregiver of choice. The pins are specially packaged on cards printed with the caregiver definition and a purple ribbon.
The task force developed ways to further engage and retain caregivers and survivors at the local affiliate level. We created Welcome packets to give caregivers and survivors with an overview of the local affiliate, volunteers, and key information. The Welcome packets are packaged in purple folders and include purple ribbons, and purple candy.
Local affiliates are encouraged to contact their staff partners for more information on any of the ideas above or to order the survivor and caregiver stickers for their upcoming PurpleStride events.
Our Survivor and Caregiver Task force work to continue with new ideas we would love to hear feedback on the strategies, tools and resources you all have begun to implement in your affiliate. As this role continues to grow and develop please share your feedback or new ideas on Volunteer Central or to vac@pancanvolunteer.org.
The mission of our Survivor and Caregiver task force was to develop ways to meaningfully engage, recognize and retain survivors and caregivers.
Our task force determined that before we could begin to engage caregivers, we needed to define what a caregiver means. After a lot of thought and discussion, we created our definition for caregiver. The work of a caregiver is done willingly and selflessly. Most caregivers do their work quietly, invisibly and many times around the clock. Once you are a caregiver, you are always a caregiver.
After we defined caregiver, we turned our focus to developing meaningful strategies to recognize and engage survivors and caregivers at PurpleStride events. The group enjoyed working on these ideas and built from best practices many of you are already doing in your communities.
We created ‘Caregivers have Heart’ heart-shaped stickers. These stickers for caregivers compliment the stickers that we currently give to survivors. Both stickers are an easy, fun way to identify and recognize survivors and caregivers at PurpleStride events.
A member of our task force attended PurpleStride LA and told everyone about the purple pinwheels given out during the event. We loved the idea, especially after we learned that the Chinese culture believes the pinwheel is an instrument to turn obstacles into opportunities. We decided that purple pinwheels should be given out during PurpleStride events. The pinwheels would be highlighted during the opening ceremony program and provide another opportunity to recognize caregivers and survivors.
We created a clothesline where survivors can write ‘heartfelt’ notes with messages of gratitude and thanks to their caregivers on heart-shaped note cards using purple clothespins. These clotheslines could be hung in tents during PurpleStride events.
We decided to include the caregiver ribbon pins with the survivor gifts for survivors to give to their caregiver of choice. The pins are specially packaged on cards printed with the caregiver definition and a purple ribbon.
The task force developed ways to further engage and retain caregivers and survivors at the local affiliate level. We created Welcome packets to give caregivers and survivors with an overview of the local affiliate, volunteers, and key information. The Welcome packets are packaged in purple folders and include purple ribbons, and purple candy.
Local affiliates are encouraged to contact their staff partners for more information on any of the ideas above or to order the survivor and caregiver stickers for their upcoming PurpleStride events.
Our Survivor and Caregiver Task force work to continue with new ideas we would love to hear feedback on the strategies, tools and resources you all have begun to implement in your affiliate. As this role continues to grow and develop please share your feedback or new ideas on Volunteer Central or to vac@pancanvolunteer.org.
Comments
Date Posted: Oct 17, 2019 at 7:36 PM
Hi @GeriRowan, this specific task force has concluded; however the items referenced in the blog above are available (i.e. stickers http://volunteercentral.pancan.org/reviews/item/17/1294). You can work with your affiliate/staff partner on ordering the items you all choose to utilize in your community. You can also connect with other Survivor & Caregiver Engagement Chairs in the Volunteer Central community to discuss new ideas for and best practices! If you go to Connect and Member Search, you can filter by role and see all your fellow Chairs. Hope this helps. Let me know if I can answer any additional questions. Thanks, Geri!
Date Posted: Oct 17, 2019 at 12:53 PM
Hi Jennifer,<br />
Can you tell me if this group still meets? These are great ideas. I would like to know if these items are available for all.<br />
Geri.
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