Normal Moments provides supportive services for parents with critically ill and/or medically complex kids. All children really want when they are scared or in pain is their mommy and/or their daddy, so that’s the gift Normal Moments gives. Volunteers perform daily tasks like cleaning, lawn care, meal prep, and so much more so that parents have more time and less stress to be fully present with their children when the families need it the most! Normal Moments was founded in 2007 by Patricia Fragen, just weeks before her 16-year-old daughter Melissa Fragen died of cancer.
“I have a daughter who has spina bifida, but she also has a neurological anomaly,” says Tommi Sellers, a mom with Normal Moments. “She is a neurological anomaly. So she’s had multiple surgeries, and she’s spent most of her time in the hospital. We were very fortunate to be connected with Normal Moments. They took some of those things that I’d have to worry about as a mom of three daughters, cleaning my house, and doing some landscaping for us. Just those little things that I don’t want to have to worry about or that I had to worry about.”
No experience is needed to volunteer
Volunteers give direct support to families who are dealing with a child’s stressful medical diagnosis or illness so parents, caregivers, and family members can focus on giving their children the support they need.
“When we hear about these stories of families that have kids that have a lot of medical needs, you’re a little bit overwhelmed and you’re like, well, I’m not a doctor. What can I do?” says Andrew Yee, a volunteer with Normal Moments. “Normal Moments allows people to have a very practical way to serve. Very simple. Anybody can help out with cleaning up a house or painting or taking a dog for a walk or just helping these families in small ways. And I think that often goes overlooked because it’s like, well, you know, they have bigger medical issues, right? But they still need to like, eat and they still need to like, have clean clothes. And everybody wants to have a clean house, you know. So I think it’s doing those little things to really help people.”
