Being the parent of a sick child often means becoming a carer on a daily basis. It is a vital commitment, but not without consequences. Fatigue, stress, anxiety and isolation: numerous studies show that the role of carer can have a significant impact on parents’ health and well-being.
The recent unanimous adoption of a bill aimed at protecting and supporting parents of children with cancer, a serious illness or a disability, reflects a growing awareness of this reality. After all, looking after carers is also a way of looking after the people they care for.
As part of the Jacques Martel Foundation’s mission, we firmly believe that caring for sick children also involves supporting their immediate family and friends.
That is why we support the work carried out by the LEA association, which offers families moments of relief and togetherness. These special moments help to strengthen family relationships, break the cycle of isolation, and reconnect with others as well as with oneself, far from the pressures of daily life and the demands of medical treatment.
Once again this year, the Jacques Martel Foundation helped organise two key events.
🎼 At the Nice Opera House, the young carers received a personalised welcome from the Head of the Youth Programme, to whom we extend our warmest thanks. A specially tailored tour, in a calm and reassuring environment, allowed them to explore behind the scenes at the venue and enjoy the performance of “Peter and the Wolf” in the best possible conditions.
🐬 Another event that has become a must-attend: the boat trip organised off the coast of Sanary-sur-Mer to spot cetaceans. Young and old alike were able to share a day out of the ordinary, surrounded by nature and the ocean, to recharge their batteries and find new energy, together.
Because a supported parent is a parent who is more available for their child, these moments of respite are a vital tool for maintaining the balance of families facing illness.
The Jacques Martel Foundation is proud to support LEA in this vital mission: to offer sick children and their loved ones moments of comfort, togetherness and hope.
Behind each of our missions — protecting the oceans, educating the youngest members of society, supporting sick children and their families, promoting sustainable food systems, and preserving our heritage — lies a single ambition: to protect and pass on the future by placing people at the heart of our commitments.