Child Life | Image Recovery | International Relations | Lodging | Pediatric Social Work | Support Groups | Other Important Support Services | Travel Guide

Support Services 

The Johns Hopkins Children's Center:

Pediatric Child Life

Outpatient:
Kim Robison, Child Life Specialist
410-614-6158

Inpatient:
Elizabeth Fairall, Child Life Specialist
410-955-6276

Our child life specialists are highly skilled professionals trained and educated in child and adolescent development, education or psychology.  A key component of their job is to communicate to the children, "Yes, this is a very stressful thing happening to you, but there is still structure to your life.  You can still play, you can still have friends, and you can still do your schoolwork."

Image Recovery  410-502-5623

Marianne Kelly, director

Sometimes cancer treatments can change patients' appearances and make them feel uncomfortable or just not themselves.  Changes such as hair loss or scars are the most common.  The Image Recovery Center, located onsite at the Kimmel Cancer Center, sells a host of items, from trendy scarves, hats and stylish wigs, to skin creams, nail polishes, makeup, and other products safe for cancer patients to use.   Trained experts guide and instruct patients on how to use and apply the products.

International Relations 410-955-8032

www.jhintl.net

We speak your language.  Johns Hopkins International Patient Services has regional divisions with professional interpreters, natives of every region of the world, trained to interpret in the medical setting.  Interpreters in more than 30 languages are available around the clock to assist you and your family before traveling to Baltimore, during medical appointments, and to make any arrangements related to your visit.

Lodging

There are a number of places at and near Johns Hopkins that families traveling from out of town can stay:

The Children's House 410-614-2560
The Children's House at Johns Hopkins is located across from the Hospital's Wolfe Street entrance (1915 McElderry Street). The four-level, 18-unit, brick building provides an inexpensive home-away-from-home for patients and their families. Major support comes from the Grant-A-Wish Foundation and the Children's House endowment. It is available to families through referral by social workers and nurses.

Ronald McDonald House 410-528-1010
The Ronald McDonald House, located at 635 West Lexington Street, is available to families through referral by social workers.

The nearby Baltimore Inner Harbor area also offers a variety of hotels that provide discounted rates to Johns Hopkins patients and their families.

Pediatric Social Work  
                                                                                         
Pediatric Oncology Social Work as a specialty discipline is committed to enhancing the emotional and physical well-being of children with cancer and their families. Practice is based upon a unique body of knowledge and expertise in the areas of developmental pediatrics and the impact of life-threatening illness on normal child development and family life. Pediatric oncology social workers are clinicians, educators, advocates, and researchers.  Each family is assigned a primary social worker, an integral member of the health care team.

The social work staff provide for the psychological, social, emotional and practical needs of patients and their families by providing:

• An understanding of the medical, social, and family dynamics of chronic catastrophic illness on the patient and family

• Psychotherapeutic interventions including individual, group, and family treatment as well as crisis intervention

• Knowledge of medical, social, and educational resources to promote child  and their family adapt to illness/treatment

• Education and counseling on loss and death and grief

• Information and education regarding pediatric cancer, cancer treatment, and the late effects of  treatment on survivors

• Resources available to pediatric oncology patients and families

Social Work Staff

Kathleen M. Orr, MSW, LCSW-C
Senior Clinical Social Worker
Contact: 410-955-8124

Matthew Eggen, MSW, LGSW
Clinical Social Worker                                                                                                         Contact: 410-955-7211

Lori Seraphin, MSW, LCSW
Clinical Social Worker                                                                                                                  Contact: 410-955-8125

Groups
Educational Group:

Parents Lunch & Learn
This group meets the 1st Tuesday of each month on CMSC-8 (inpatient unit) at noon. Lunch is provided while parents meet informally to learn about a variety of topics presented by multidisciplinary staff. Subjects presented in the past include: caring for your child with cancer, reading a ‘road map’ i.e. the clinical plan, medications, preventing infections, late effects of treatment, cancer’s effect on siblings/family, etc.
For further information call: 410 955-4224 or 410 955- 8124

Support Groups:

Families, Children and Siblings

The third Thursday evening of every month the Social Work and Child Life staff offer concurrent groups for parents and four separate groups for children including a school-age (minimum age - 6 y/o) and teen patients as well as separate groups for school age (minimum age – 6 y/o)  and teen siblings. Groups provide the opportunity to: receive emotional support, to encourage peer support, and to assist with coping and issues that effect cancer patients and their families. The evening begins with a family meal from 5-5:30 pm; groups form and meet separately 5:35-6:30 pm. Monthly reminders sent to families.
For further information call: 410 955-8124

Candlelighters
This evening support group meets on the third Thursday of each month. All parents of children with cancer, including the newly diagnosed, the off-treatment, and the deceased, are invited. For more information contact the social worker at 410-955-8124.

Bereavement Group
This group is for parents who have lost a child to cancer and meets the second Wednesday of each month.  For information, contact the social worker at (410) 955-8125.

Other Important Support Services

Chapel
An interfaith chapel for private prayer and meditation is located in the first floor Zoo Lobby of the Children's Center.  It is open 24 hours a day.

Catholic Mass: Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday, 7:30 a.m. in the Meditation Chapel; Saturday, 4 p.m., and Sunday, noon in the Marburg Conference Room.

Clergy Services     410-955-5842
An ordained minister, trained as a counselor for patients and their families, is available at all times.  A chaplain is an integral part of the health care team and directs a staff of clergy representing the major faiths.  Your child's nurse can contact a chaplain for you in the evening or weekends in an emergency situation.  Your own clergyman is always welcome at the hospital.

Guest Services     410-614-5100
For assistance with directions, local hotels and attractions, and special requests.

Maryland Public Transit     410-539-5000
For information on buses, subway, and light rail transportation.

Travel Guide, a full-service travel agency, is available to help patients and their families with air, hotel, and/or ground accommodations. The agency is located near the main Wolfe Street entrance. It is open Monday through Friday, 8:30 a.m. to 5 p.m.