STRESS 2016 OMDREB Presidents Charity Gala: Supporting the Nanny Angel Network

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Cancer is a scary (or dirty) word. One that brings with it, many stresses. To a mother with young children who has learned that she has cancer and must undergo treatment, this can be devastating news.... Audrey Guth, Community Crusader, was undergoing treatment for cancer when she noticed that young mothers were bringing their children with them for treatments. She knew there had to be a better way – a way to reduce the stress for these mothers-in-need and the “Nanny Angel Network” was born.

The Nanny Angel Network (NAN) is a registered charity and the only organization of its kind in North America to provide free in-home childcare support for mothers who have been diagnosed with cancer, those requiring palliative care and for families requiring additional relief during the bereavement period.

In an excerpt from the Nanny Angel Website, “All Nanny Angels are rigorously screened, interviewed and selected specifically for each family. They are professional child care providers with specialized training in supporting children and families living with cancer. The safety of the children is the Angel’s primary concern; all Angels have CPR and first aid training. Nanny Angels offer fun, educational, creative and safe experiences for the children in their care. Nanny Angels will arrive at your home with an Angel Activity Bag containing resource materials and an assortment of books, arts and crafts and other tools of the ‘nanny’ trade.”

“Nanny Angels provide a minimum of eight hours per month of in-home care for children while mothers are keeping appointments, getting rest or taking time for themselves. While we would love to provide full time care, we are currently a relief service. We are committed to ensuring you receive 8 hours of care a month and will work with you to build a schedule that suits your needs.” says Audrey Guth.

“I selected NAN as my charity of choice because all of us are affected by cancer at one point in our lives, either personally or by someone close to us,” says Charlotte.

The Oakville Milton and District Real Estate Board forms a part of this network. This year, OMDREB President, Charlotte Forget, chose to support Nanny Angel Network (NAN). “I selected NAN because all of us are affected by cancer at one point in our lives, either personally or by someone close to us,” Forget said. “NAN exists to support families that are afflicted by the disease and I felt that if we could help these families in any way, we could make a difference.” A NAN office is located in the OMDREB Building – one way, according to Charlotte, that “Our support can assist NAN to continue growing its Halton Chapter.”

The Oakville Milton District Real Estate Board hosted a fundraising evening with close to 300 guests at the Oakville Conference Centre for its 2016 President’s Charity Gala. Guests enjoyed dinner, live and silent auctions, and live entertainment. Local tribute bands ABBAMANIA Canada and Night Fever a Tribute to the Bee Gees wowed the guests with renditions of each bands’ hits. Special guest “Cher” also wowed the crowd. A special night, hosted for a very special cause. In total, the Gala raised more than $20,000 for NAN.

“Our partnership with OMDREB has given us the necessary resources to build our foundation and grow our services in Oakville and Milton,” said NAN Founder and Executive Director, Audrey Guth. “We greatly appreciate our office in the OMDREB building, which provides a space for interviewing and training our volunteers and storing our toys and books.”

“This partnership [with OMDREB] continues to impact the lives of countless mothers and children in the community, and for that, we are truly grateful,” Guth said.

Become an Angel. Get an Angel. Make a Difference. Visit the webpage at nannyangelnetwork.com.