September is a very exciting month for Hang Tough Foundation, our Hero families, and our Tough as Nails support group program. Starting Monday, September 24th, we will be moving our free monthly support groups to the 4th Monday of each month. After seeing immense growth in our one support group and gathering feedback from our families, we will be expanding to FOUR groups; a Medical Needs Caregiver group, a Special Needs Caregiver group, A Grief and Loss group, and our Teen Sidekick group.
Please know Hang Tough wants our families to feel empowered to choose whichever group is best for them as many of our caregivers may fit into all the groups.
- The medical needs support group will deal with more life-altering or chronic illnesses. A few examples would be: cancer, epilepsy, diabetes, cerebral palsy, etc.
- The special needs support group will deal more with the special education requirement of those with learning difficulties and/or emotional or behavioral problems. A few examples would be: autism, ADHD, learning disabilities, intellectual delays, etc.
- The grief and loss support group is for those caregivers coping with a new diagnosis, anticipatory grief, general grief, or loss of a child.
- Lastly, our teen sidekick support group is designed for siblings age 12-18 who may be struggling with their current situation, acting withdrawn, or disinterested in things that used to bring them joy.
We recognize a large majority of our families fall into both medical and special needs categories, so we are leaving the decision of which group to participate in up to each family to where they feel they need the most support with the issues they face in daily life. So, many of our families will be able to choose which is more applicable to their situation to build relationships with other parents. The topic of discussion (as of now) will be identical in both the medical and special needs group.
These monthly support groups are a great time for our Hang Tough families who may be walking a similar road led by licensed social workers to guide the process. Childcare for heroes and younger sidekicks will be provided by qualified volunteers. In addition, light snacks will be provided.
You can sign up for Tough as Nails Support Groups in October here.
ABOUT HANG TOUGH FOUNDATION
Hang Tough Foundation was formed in 2015 with the goal to care for the entire family of children affected by chronic or life-altering illnesses and special needs. Hang Tough works to provide support, hope and encouragement to families during their journey with childhood illness customized to their challenges and needs. Located in Tallahassee, Fla., the Hang Tough Foundation serves families in the Big Bend region of Florida. Visit www.HangToughFoundation.org.