Financial Assistance for Children and Teens
The financial costs associated with cancer are often overwhelming. This fact sheet lists various sources of financial assistance available to children and teenagers who are affected by cancer. Check with each agency or organization to see if you qualify for help.
Financial Assistance
CancerCare
800-813-4673
Provides limited financial assistance for transportation, home care and child care.
Andrew McDonough B+ Foundation
302.563.8389
Provides financial assistance to families of children with cancer for prescription medications not covered by insurance, travel to and from treatment, mortgage payments/rent, groceries and much more.
Clayton Dabney Foundation
Gifts, last wishes and financial assistance, which will facilitate quality of family life and create everlasting memories for low-income families of children under 18 with late stage cancer.
Family Reach
Provides financial assistance to families with a child or parent with cancer for mortgage, rent, auto, utilities, transportation, lodging, daycare, and other expenses.
Firsthand Foundation
816-201-1569
Provides funding for children with health-related needs for procedures not covered by insurance as well as for travel, food and lodging.
Friends 4 Michael
845-401-8689
Provides financial assistance for children who have been diagnosed with brain cancer.
Go 4 The Goal
Wish granting, assistance with medical and household bills, travel for treatment, tuition assistance for education and enrichment activities. Requires referral from social worker or child life specialist.
Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
800-955-4572
Offers financial assistance with insurance premiums and co-pays for specific blood cancers.
National Children’s Cancer Society
800-532-6459
Provides financial assistance for travel, lodging and other expenses.
Pinky Swear Foundation
952-974-9600
Financial assistance for families of children with cancer to help with rent, mortgages, car payments and car repairs, groceries, gas, childcare and more.
Small Miracles Foundation
Financial assistance for families of children under 17 with cancer to help with some medical bills, related expenses such as travel, lodging, child care and respite care and everyday expenses such as lodging and utilities.
United Healthcare Children’s Foundation
855-698-4223
Provides financial assistance for medical costs not covered by insurance.
Travel Assistance
Alex’s Lemonade Stand
866.333.1213
Funding for transportation and lodging is available for eligible families who are financially burdened by traveling away from their home hospital for care that is only available elsewhere.
Compass to Care
312-515-9490
Schedules and pays for travel arrangements to the hospital where a child is being treated for cancer. Must be at least 60-mile distance.
Miracle Flights
800-359-1711
Helps fly children who are struggling with serious cancers and other debilitating diseases to specialized medical treatment centers across the U.S.
Patient Airlift Services (PALS)
631-694-PALS (7257)
Arranges volunteer medical flights in the greater Northeast region as far west as Ohio and as far south as Virginia.
Scholarships
Beyond the Cure Ambassador Scholarship Program
The National Children’s Cancer Society provides scholarships to childhood cancer survivors.
Cancer for College
760-599-5096
Provides college scholarships to cancer patients and survivors. Applicants must be U.S. citizens.
The Ulman Cancer Fund for Young Adults
888-393-3863
Scholarships for young adults who were between the ages of 15 to 39 when they or a loved one was diagnosed with cancer.
General Assistance
The Make-A-Wish Foundation
800-722-9474
Grants the wish of children diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition.
Children’s Cancer Association
503-244-3141
CCA’s Kids’ Cancer Pages is a national resource directory for families facing childhood cancer.
The information provided here is purely informational and does not imply endorsement from CancerCare nor does it guarantee eligibility for assistance.
Edited by A.J. Cincotta-Eichenfield, LMSW