For Our Mentors
Are you an adolescent or young adult transplant recipient looking to connect with others who understand the unique challenges of being an AYA transplant patient? We’d love to have you in our community!
Our national AYA group meets every Saturday afternoon via Zoom, providing a consistent space for transplant recipients to connect, learn, and support one another. While many of our AYA participants also serve as mentors to younger patients, mentorship is not required to participate in our AYA community. We believe every young adult should have access to a peer community without feeling obligated to volunteer or share their personal experiences.
BECOME A MENTOR
If you’re interested in mentoring, there are several ways to get involved. You can:
Start a Project Hope chapter at your transplant center
Join an existing chapter at your transplant center
Become a mentor through our national hub
Participate in a combination of our mentorship opportunities
Our mentors receive transplant-specific education and mental health training designed to help them support younger patients while also building connections with fellow mentors who share similar experiences.
We currently offer 10+ education and mental health modules for mentors, with new resources continually being developed. Topics are shaped by our mentors and our Education and Mental Health Department volunteers to ensure that our programming reflects the experiences and needs of the transplant community.
You do not need to complete every module to become a mentor. Our goal is to provide mentors with the tools and support they need to feel prepared and confident, not to create barriers to getting involved.
Whether you want to mentor, simply connect with other AYA transplant recipients, or do both, there is a place for you at Project Hope.
For Our Mentees
Are you a pediatric or young teen transplant recipient looking to meet other young people who understand what it’s like to live with a transplant? Project Hope is here for you!
Our mentee program gives younger transplant patients a place to connect with peers, learn about their transplant journey, and build confidence alongside mentors who have been through many of the same experiences.
Mentees participate in group mentorship sessions led by our AYA mentors and group facilitators (hospital psychosocial support staff). Through these sessions, mentees work through 8+ educational modules designed specifically for young transplant patients. Our mentors guide participants through each topic while creating space for questions, conversation, and sharing personal experiences.
Don’t worry! This isn’t a classroom or transplant clinic! Our sessions include hands-on, interactive activities, games, and group challenges that make complex transplant topics easier to understand, more engaging, and less lecture-based.
Topics are designed to help mentees:
Better understand transplantation and their own medical journey
Build confidence talking about their transplant and healthcare
Develop skills to advocate for themselves
Prepare for taking more responsibility in their own care and starting the transition of care process
Connect with other young people who understand their experiences
Learn from older transplant recipients
Build friendships and a sense of belonging within the transplant community
Most importantly, our mentors aren’t there simply to teach; they are there to listen, share their experiences, and help mentees build confidence. By learning alongside peers and older transplant recipients, mentees can begin to see they are not alone and that a community supports them.