Uplift

About UPLIFT

The UPLIFT (Using Play, Love, Inspiration, and Friendship as Therapy) Program is designed for children, ages 5-17, who have been impacted by their parent’s or caregiver’s cancer diagnosis. It is free for all attendees.

Children enrolled in the UPLIFT Program get access to:

Support from a Certified Child Life Specialist

Ongoing support, including regularly scheduled personal and individualized check-in meetings, connections to local resources, and research-based, developmentally appropriate activity plans for events.

Personalized, mindfulness-themed Welcome Boxes

All children receive Welcome Boxes. These personalized, mindfulness-themed packages providing developmentally appropriate materials and activities to help children cope.

In-person and virtual events

In-person UPLIFT events are held in the Charleston area at kid-friendly, fun locations and are free to attend.

Virtual events allow children to participate in UPLIFT from their own homes so even out of state friends can be involved!

Michelle Somogyi Nemeth Mini Grant Program

Current, active UPLIFT families are eligible to apply for mini grants.​
For more information

A Play-based Approach

Our UPLIFT program is designed and implemented by a Certified Child Life Specialist (CCLS) to ensure that program content is developmentally appropriate and founded in theories of play and coping. Our CCLS is trained to provide support to children, adolescents, and their families through difficult life events and to help them cope with the stress and uncertainty of illness, injury, disability, and loss. 

The CCLS, with the support of student volunteers, implements a variety of therapeutic modalities including play, visual, auditory, and tactile self-expression activities, and stress reduction techniques using a family-centered care model.

All student volunteers complete Darkness to Light training as well as additional training on how to work with children going through traumatic experiences.

 

Want to learn more about what a Child Life Specialist does? Read more.

Sign Up

To find out more about UPLIFT, fill out our UPLIFT Program Inquiry form.
To find out more about UPLIFT, fill out our UPLIFT Program Inquiry form.
Sign Up

Volunteer

Learn how you can become an UPLIFT volunteer!
Learn how you can become an UPLIFT volunteer!
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