Dealing with the news that your child has cancer is overwhelming enough. Combine that with many families existing challenges, and the blow can be catastrophic. The aim of Foundation for Children with Cancer is to be a ray of sunshine coming through so many of these challenging clouds. Single moms, laid off fathers, and long trips back and forth from home to hospitals for chemotherapy and other treatments are situations that would challenge the human spirit of any person. FCC serves to ignite that spirit of hope by helping to fend off financial burdens that can add unnecessary pressure to an already emotional situation. Below are just a few of the hundreds of families that FCC has helped just this year:

We Keep The Lights Of Hope On.
Here in our own backyard, a young child was diagnosed and later treated for Bilateral Wilms Tumor at world-renowned St. Louis Children’s Hospital. Later, when surgery was required, the child was sent to St. Jude. During this process, FCC staff stayed in close contact with a social worker at St. Louis Children Hospital, whose role is to help connect families in need with organizations that can help. FCC was able to pay this particular family’s home utility bills. Keeping the lights on at home may seem inconsequential when dealing with all that is involved in treating childhood cancer. However, we have found that helping to maintain a normal lifestyle for the family and the child is a critical part of the recovery process.

We Provide Shelter From The Storm.
In late August, most 15-year-old girls are buying back-to-school clothes and already making plans for Homecomings and Proms. For one 15-year-old girl in Wisconsin, this past August brought different plans: the diagnosis of Acute Myelogenous Leukemia. She is presently receiving treatment at Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin and is expected to require frequent and lengthy hospitalizations over the next 6-8 months. Her mother has been on unpaid leave from her job since her daughter’s diagnosis so that she can be with her at the hospital. As a result, she has gotten behind financially. FCC was able to help this family by paying their monthly rent, helping to ensure that there will always be a home to which this young girl can return.

We Make Medical Care Possible.
A young 13-year-old patient diagnosed with a Germ Cell Tumor is presently receiving chemotherapy treatments at St. Louis Children Hospital, a process that will continue for the next several months. The family has medical insurance, but as we all know, insurance doesn’t always cover all medical costs. FCC was able to help this young person family by paying a medical bill not covered by their insurance plan. As is so often the case, the families are always overwhelmed with appreciation for the assistance we are able to provide. In this case, the patient’s mother is the primary caregiver for not only the patient but his brother as well. While she works full time, she has had to miss several days of work due to her sons cancer treatment and requisite care.

Tiah

“I emailed you a few months ago with regards to financial assistance due to my daughter Tiah having Leukemia. I just wanted to give you an update on how Tiah is doing. She is feeling very good at this point in time and is looking great. The help your organization gave us made is so much easier for my family and I appreciate that. Tiah also got a certificate from the school this week and had an assembly for being student of the month and reading well. So we are very proud of her.” -Tiah’s Mom