When a child is born or diagnosed with a serious illness, the entire family feels the pain. Chai Lifeline's mission is to provide the emotional and social services that enable seriously ill children and their families maintain as normal a life as possible while fighting the devastating effects of illness. Our goal is to restore the magic of childhood to young children and teenagers whose lives have been inexorably altered by illness.

Chai Lifeline West Coast maintains an innovative network of services that care for the immediate and long term needs of families impacted by illness. Hospital visits, hot food, referrals, information, advocacy, help navigating the insurance system, and intense emotional support help families get through those first crises. Individual and family counseling and art therapy services help families cope with the emotional pain that illness brings to a family. Educational support that includes tutoring, innovative webcam connections between hospitalized and homebound children and their classrooms, and loans of laptop computers enable children to stay current with studies and maintain all-important social relationships. Siblings, often silent sufferers, are never forgotten: special programs give brothers and sisters an outlet for their emotions and energy.

Recreational events and an active Big Brother/Big Sister program give children an extra dose of love and guidance. Retreats, respite vacations, family days, and holiday gatherings are an opportunity for families to come together for support and friendship. Every summer, dozens of West Coast children attend Camp Simcha and Camp Simcha Special, Chai Lifeline's magical overnight camps for children with cancer or chronic illnesses. Helping the child, the family, and the community.

(310) 274-6661; (877) 374-6331 www.chailifeline.org
Helping the child, the family, and the community