Family Support  Healthy Family Sessions are a  monthly family-centered program  where adults, teens and children are  able to come together to share their  experiences and receive information on a topic of their choice.  Previous Topics Have Included: • Nutrition • Family Health History  • Parent Advocacy  • Pain Management • Homeownership The objective of this program is to provide a place where parents  are able to voice their concerns and become empowered to face  the challenges of raising a child with sickle cell disease. Many  parents gain a sense of hope and encouragement through this  sharing opportunity. Healthy Family Sessions are open to the entire family (siblings,  grandparents, aunts, uncles, cousins etc) and even playmates. By  extending our programming beyond the affected child and his/her  parents, the family will be able to have a wide support net of  family and friends aware of this unique health situation, the child  will not feel singled out because of their illness by peers or  siblings, and the negative stigma associated with SCD will be  progressively removed.  A meal and childcare is provided and transportation assistance is  available. Healthy Family Sessions are facilitated by The Hill House  Association and funded in part by a grant from McAuley Ministries  and from the City of Pittsburgh through the Community  Development Block Grant Program (CDBG), Luke Ravenstahl,  Mayor.   Education Support  The Free Education Support  Program is designed to assist  children with sickle cell disease  (SCD) to maintain continuity in their  education when they are absent from school due to illness. Many  children are hospitalized as a result of the complications of sickle  cell disease. Hospitalization is a hard time for children with SCD  and their parents. On average a school aged child with SCD may miss 29 days of  school per year due to illness that may or may not include  hospitalization and while recovering at home. This creates a  dilemma for children, parents, social workers and educators. At  these times children may not receive the support that they need  to make a smooth transition back into the classroom. CSCF, Inc., in collaboration with the Pittsburgh Public School  System and Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh’s Sickle Cell  Program, offer this program to ensure that every child with sickle  cell disease receives the proper support to encourage their  educational success. How It Works • This Free program is available to all children with SCD  in the Pittsburgh Public School District and other  participating school districts. • Enroll you child in the Education Support Program.  • Call the Education Support Coordinator (ESC) when  your child becomes ill at home or in the hospital. • The ESC contacts your child’s teachers and school  counselor to ensure that your child receives their  schoolwork and assignments. • You may have the Children’s Hospital social worker  contact us to enroll your child at the hospital.  • There is no limit to how many time you can use this  FREE program. • Complete a parental survey to give us feedback so that  we may better serve you.  Check our Events Calendar for dates and times. Living with Sickle Cell - Spoken Word Video CBS Cares - Sickle Cell PSA Sickle Cell website for Kids links