Family Support

Purpose: To help families of children with cancer cope with the extraordinary costs associated with these illnesses.

Process: Families in need will be referred by the hospital social workers who will complete an application providing background information and identifying the specific needs.

Eligible expenses: The following types of expenses may be considered for assistance. Other expenses will be considered on a case by case basis.

• Rent/mortgage payments
• Utility bills
• Automobile repairs when car is necessary to transport child for care/treatment
• Automobile rental to transport child for care/treatment when no other means of transportation is available
• Telephone bills
• Car insurance premiums
• Health insurance premiums
• Cost of parents' meals during hospitalization
• Funeral expenses
• Prosthetics (including wigs) if there is no insurance coverage for those items
• Temporary child care for well children at home

Application procedure: The hospital social worker will identify persons in need of support and complete a 2-page application. The family will also be required to sign a publicity and medical information release.

Frequency of funding: Committee will review applications as they are submitted. Grants can be made at any time.