"Best Buddies" is a relationship based program. Best Buddies volunteer at least four hours of their time each week in a one-on-one situation with a patient and his or her family to help decrease feelings of loneliness and isolation that they may feel on the Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant unit.

Best Buddies participate in a mandatory 12 hours of training prior to being matched with a family. Following their training, Best Buddies provide respite care, friendly visits, occasional home-cooked meals, and many other supportive services.

If you have a serving heart, here are some ways you can help as a "Best Buddy"...

Opportunities

Volunteers help provide these services:

• Be a friend, a listener!
• Frequently visit child and family
• Provide respite care
• Sit with the patient
• Take them an occasional home-cooked meal
• Launder clothes
• Bring a welcome change of activities or conversation
• Orient out-of-town families to the Durham area

Contact Information

Lindsey Kearns, 919-668-1204
E-mail: kearn021@mc.duke.edu
Web site link: http://www.cancer.duke.edu/PBMT/support/family.asp

Program location: Duke University Medical Center and area housing
Training provided: Fire & Safety. Job-specific training -- intensive 12-hour training session -- usually scheduled over a weekend at Duke University Hospital. Continuing education offered and required.
Time commitment: Minimum four hours per week for a year.