FOUNDATION LAUNCHES “CANCER ASSISTANCE FUND”
Fund to assist patients through Cancer Navigator program
AMHERST, NS (June 11, 2009) – The Cumberland Health Care Foundation is very pleased to announce the creation of a new fund to help patients in the frontline battle against cancer in Cumberland. The “Cancer Assistance Fund” will provide funding to be allocated through the Cancer Navigator program to assist cancer patients when all other funding programs have been explored or exhausted.
Cancer Navigators work closely with family doctors, cancer specialists as well as community cancer services to coordinate optimal care. They are one of the first points of contact for patients who are diagnosed with cancer and they enhance the community’s capacity to support people with cancer and their caregivers. They are able to provide cancer-related expertise to health professions in the local community and improve patient access to the supports that are available within the community.
“Primarily this fund will enable us to help cancer patients who fall through the cracks”, said Cumberland Health Authority’s Cancer Navigator, Holly Chapman.
“Unfortunately if your annual income is $15,700 or higher, the patient becomes ineligible for many provincial and federal programs. It may be a senior, a single parent, a married couple with children who are just struggling to get by – they do earn enough to just get by but unfortunately earn too much to qualify for many assistance programs when cancer strikes.”
Chapman further explained that each patient’s challenges are unique to the type of cancer being fought and other items such as the treatment costs involved and the geographic location of where treatment can be obtained.
As an example, a single mother earning $28,000 annually may not qualify for assistance in her fight against cancer. She may have limited access to a vehicle and be forced to make a decision between the costs of travelling for chemotherapy as recommended by her specialist and being able to support her family. “For people who do not have access to a vehicle or a volunteer program of some sort, the approximated average cost for a return trip from Amherst to Moncton for chemotherapy with a taxi company is $150”, said Chapman, “the good thing is that taxis will wait for the patient to receive the treatment and bring them home. However if you have to undergo multiple treatments, then you see how the costs build up quite quickly.”
The “Cancer Assistance Fund” is being designed to provide a helping hand when all other avenues of funding have been exhausted. Donations may help to fund transportation for treatment, food & nutritional assistance, and other areas as identified by the Cancer Navigator as being required to maintain the health of the cancer patient.
“As a person who lost both parents to cancer and then having my own experience later on in life, I think it’s great that we’re creating this opportunity to help others fight cancer here at home,” said Managing Director, Joe Gauthier of the Cumberland Health Care Foundation. “You can’t anticipate what’s going to happen each day of your life,” he continued “but knowing there’s another piece of the puzzle out there should something happen again is comforting to know.”
Donations to the “Cancer Assistance Fund” can now be made online at www.chcfoundation.com or by visiting the Foundation office located near the main entrance of the Cumberland Regional Health Care Centre. Foundation donors will be receiving a direct-mail piece in the coming months asking for their support, donation boxes will be available for placement at local businesses, and in-memorials being encouraged to assist with supporting the fund.
The Cumberland Health Care Foundation is a registered Canadian not-for-profit charity dedicated to enhancing the provision of a high standard of health care within Cumberland County by raising funds and supporting new and improved services, programs, equipment and facilities.
