About Josh Cares

Josh Cares is a non-profit organization dedicated to ensuring that no seriously ill child goes through a hospitalization without the critical support of someone who cares for them when a parent or family member cannot be there when they need them the most.

Josh Cares funds professionally trained Child Life Fellows who provide consistent comfort, care and companionship for a child whose family would be by their sides if they could. Fellows also serve as links between the family and child to nourish their relationship despite their physical separation.

At any given time, an average of 25+ critically ill children at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center are without the support of a family that is so critical to their care and healing. Josh Cares Fellows help to provide consistent support to address this need.

How Josh Cares

Josh Cares Fellows are the heart and soul of our organization. These certified and professionally trained Child Life Specialists are a trusted individual for children who do not have the benefit of a family member consistently involved in their everyday care.

On any given day a Josh Cares Fellow can be seen:

  • Providing an outlet through therapeutic play to address emotions such as anger, withdrawal, loneliness, homesickness and fear.
  • Providing support and emotional preparation to a child before, during and after potentially frightening medical tests or procedures.
  • Reinforcing family ties by providing opportunities to connect patients and families by writing letters, encouraging phone calls and e-mails, maintaining daily journals, facilitating Skype sessions, and encouraging families to send in pictures, cards, audio tapes and other expressions of support for their child.
  • Serving as a patient advocate on the family-centered care interdisciplinary team to provide medical personnel with insights into a child's personal experiences and the ability to emotionally cope with his or her condition and course of treatment.
  • Fostering an environment that stimulates appropriate growth and development; emotionally, physically and mentally.
  • Normalizing the hospital environment by encouraging patients to visit the playroom and attend special events and activities for socialization, entertainment and the continuation of home routines.
  • Having fun! Josh Cares Fellows, with the help of hospital volunteers, devote countless hours to playing, reading, cuddling, and ultimately allowing a kid who just happens to be a patient to just be a kid!