Addressing the Mental Health Needs of Parents of Pediatric Kidney Transplant Recipients With the iParent2Parent Peer Support Program
The iParent2Parent (iP2P) program is a new, innovative virtual mentorship program that will connect parents one-to-one with other parents of pediatric kidney transplant recipients who are trained to offer vital peer support and mentorship. Parents of children who received a kidney transplant at The Hospital for Sick Children will be invited to participate as mentors and mentees. The iP2P program can decrease feelings of isolation, improve mental health and have a long-term positive impact on patient health. This research will increase our understanding of one-to-one peer support and leverage eHealth technologies to improve the access to and acceptability of parent peer support interventions.
• Parent of a patient under 18 years of age who received a kidney transplant and is at least two months post-transplant,
• Access to a device (e.g., smart phone, tablet, computer) capable of using free WhatsApp software, and
• English-speaking.
• Parent of a patient under 21 years of age who received a kidney transplant and is at least one year post-transplant,
• Nominated by their child's healthcare team as a good candidate to act in the mentor role (e.g., good communication skills, positive adaptation and adjustment post-transplant, strong support network),
• Access to a device (e.g., smart phone, tablet, computer) capable of using free WhatsApp software, and
• English-speaking.