Introducing Caring Connections

If you are familiar with the BMT InfoNet’s Patient-To-Survivor Link program, then you know it links patients facing a transplant with survivors who can provide support.  But because the program supports not just patients, but family members, caregivers and donors as well, we are changing the name to Caring Connections.

If you are currently a Patient-to-Survivor Link program volunteer, you will automatically become a Caring Connections volunteer. If you have not yet volunteered to help others going through transplant, you can go to www.bmtinfonet.org/survivor.html to sign up.  Phone Jody at 888-597-7674 if you don’t have access to the internet.

In addition to the name change, we are changing some program procedures to make it easier for patients and their loved ones to get connected.  Now, rather than require the patient to contact the survivor or survivor’s family member first, our Caring Connection volunteers will make the first contact with the person who requested support. This will take the burden off patients who may already be too overwhelmed to remember to make the call.

We will also be asking for formal feedback about your contact with the patient so that we can confirm the connection was made and answer any questions you might have.

These changes were made after feedback from several hundred of our volunteers who participated in an online survey earlier this year.  To those of you who submitted your ideas, thanks!

In the next few weeks, if you are a Caring Connections volunteer, you will receive a brochure in the mail describing our new guidelines.  Please take a few minutes to review the information.

As we move forward, feel free to offer your input on how this new process is working.    To do this, call Jody at 888-597-7674 or email Jody@bmtinfo net.org.

New! BMT InfoNet Survivorship Project