(P)ersevere
(I)lluminate
(C)onnect
(K)indle
(L)earn
(E)mpower
(S)upport
OUR MISSION
Pickles Group’s mission is to provide free peer-to-peer support and resources to kids affected by their parent or guardian’s cancer.
Having a parent with cancer can be a lonely and isolating experience. Pickles Group creates thriving communities of kids supporting kids. Pickles kids strengthen resilience, have fun with friends who get them, and heal along the way.
One in twenty kids will experience a parent’s cancer diagnosis before they graduate high school. With more than 3 million children and teens in the U.S. who are affected, there is an overwhelming need for the support we provide.
HOW IT STARTED
The idea for Pickles Group started with the kids in 2019. While connecting over their own cancer diagnoses, Pickles Group’s founding parents realized that their children shared a common sense of isolation. Their kids felt alone among their peers who didn’t understand their new world.
One of the kids said, “I wish we could get to know other kids who understand what this is like.”
Within a month, Pickles Group held its first youth meeting. As their kids continued to meet together, the change the founding families saw was unmistakable — together they experienced laughter, community, and a sense of relief that they hadn’t felt in a long time.
WHY PICKLES?
When the Pickles founding kids were first getting to know each other, they played a game to find out what they had in common. One of the first things these new friends realized they shared was a love of pickles — or so they thought!
It turned out they had one defector, but the name stuck. It evolved to include a silly theme song that caused them to erupt in laughter every time they were together. From that point on, the founding kids referred to themselves as “The Pickles”. The founding families then set out to understand what the name Pickles might stand for as their kids continued to meet and create a peer community where they could thrive.
How Do We Do It?
Our youth programs are designed by our Chief Clinical Program Officer, a leading child therapist and Child Life Specialist.
Pickles Group programs are facilitated by trained volunteers who have experience working with youth and backgrounds in education, child development, and other related fields.
Our approach is grounded in behavioral science and research that shows that kids are more likely to thrive through their parent’s cancer when they have access to three things:
Open, age-appropriate information about cancer
Coping skills to help them identify and process their feelings in healthy ways
Connection with peers who share their lived experience
Does the Program Work?
See what kids and parents are saying about our program’s positive impact on their lives.
Who Do We Serve?
We serve school-aged kids and teens enrolled in 1st through 12th grade, generally between the ages of 6-18.
How Do I Sign Up?
Complete our Youth Enrollment Form, refer a family, or contact us for more information.
Program Calendar
Youth Enrollment Form
CHICAGO IN-PERSON YOUTH PROGRAM
Youth in 1st-12th grade affected by a parent’s cancer build relationships with friends who get them in a safe, supportive, fun environment through our successful in-person peer group model. New and existing Pickles Group youth are welcome.
Visit our Program Calendar to register your child for an upcoming event near you.
NATIONAL VIRTUAL YOUTH EMPOWER PROGRAM
Pickles Group’s successful activity-based peer group model for kids affected by a parent’s cancer is now offered nationally through our National Virtual Youth Program. Youth build relationships with friends who get them in a safe, supportive, fun environment online. Example meeting topics include learning about cancer and identifying and expressing feelings in healthy ways.
Learn more and register your child for our next virtual cohort here.
FREE PICKLES FAMILY SUPPORT KITS, PARENT WEBINARS, AND RESOURCES
We also help kids affected by a parent’s cancer or guardian’s cancer by providing free evidence-based resources. We currently offer free Pickles Family Support Kits, a booklet that helps parents and caregivers have open, age-appropriate conversations with their kids and teens about cancer, and help reinforce Pickles learning, coping skills, and connections at home. Pickles Support Kits include a how-to guide and age-appropriate terms for diagnosed parents to help talk about cancer with their kids; a family resource library; and an interactive family Pickles activity. Support Kits are available to families and community partners across the U.S..
Families, friends, hospitals, schools, faith-based organizations, and others can request a virtual or hard copy support kit here.
We share tips and resources for families free through Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, our monthly emails, and our online Resource Library.
We also host live parent webinars to support families navigating cancer. All webinars are listed on our Program Calendar.
Looking for a resource we don’t provide yet? Let us know.
https://www.picklesgroup.org
[email protected]
Chicago, Illinois
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