Peer support is about connection, understanding, and encouragement from another parent who has been through a similar experience. The main role of a Parent Connections volunteer is to listen with empathy, share perspective when helpful, and offer practical tips based on lived experience. Therapy, by contrast, is provided by a trained mental health professional who can help you process complex emotions, address anxiety or depression, and offer evidence-based coping strategies. The CPAM Parent Connections Program is not a substitute for professional counseling or medical care; rather, it provides a compassionate companion on the journey; someone who understands what it’s like to face a congenital lung malformation diagnosis and is there to walk alongside you.

Our 1-on-1 support program connects you with a trained parent volunteer who has been through a similar diagnosis. It offers a dedicated space to share what you’re going through with someone who truly understands, and allows for an ongoing, individual connection.

Group support is also led by trained parent volunteers but brings together multiple parents at a similar stage of the journey, creating a sense of community and shared understanding.

You can choose 1-on-1 support, group support, or both. We generally recommend joining a group, and suggest adding 1-on-1 support if this is your first baby, if there are additional pregnancy complications, or if you have a history of birth or pregnancy trauma.

Because treatment and care vary from country to country, we want to make sure the support we offer is relevant and accurate. At present, our volunteer base is located in the United States, UK and Ireland, so we can only provide peer support to families going through a lung malformation journey in those countries.

We are actively working to expand this program internationally. If you live elsewhere and would like to volunteer please complete our Volunteer Interest Form. If you are seeking support, you are welcome to register your interest. We will contact you as soon as we have trained volunteers available in your country.

We ask that you register for the 1-on-1 support and our support group. The first time you register, someone will be in touch to set up a quick initial chat. This is a brief and informal conversation, over the phone or on Zoom, just to learn a bit more about your situation and what kind of support would serve you best at this moment.

All our peer services are delivered by trained parent volunteers who have been through a CLM diagnosis before.

Some families only want a few conversations immediately after diagnosis, while others stay connected throughout pregnancy, surgery, and recovery. The length and depth of the connection is entirely up to you and your parent volunteer.

No. All our peer support services are always offered free of charge.

All peer support sessions are kept closed in order to protect the privacy, comfort, and trust of all the parent participants. No outside observers are allowed. Please get in touch with us for other ways to collaborate or learn more about the experience of going through a congenital lung malformation diagnosis.