Holiday Help

Welcome back! This blog provides financial resources and information for people living with cancer. In this post, I want to focus on holiday resources  for people living with cancer.

Tempted to Skip Holidays?

Let’s be honest, the holidays are stressful!!  It’s tempting to “skip” the holidays when you are dealing with a cancer diagnosis and a tight budget. While this option is easier on the wallet, it can lead to isolation and depression. Take a look at the resources below. 

It’s been my experience that local organizations offer more holiday assistance than state & federal agencies. Often cancer treatment programs “adopt” families living with cancer and provide holiday food & gifts.  Reach out to your social worker or nurse navigator for information. In addition, local faith communities, fire companies, grocery stores, sheriff offices and community groups may offer  assistance. Ask your oncology nurse if their Oncology Nursing Society (ONS) chapter is “adopting” families as well.

Some financial resources require a healthcare professional to submit your application. Talk with your social worker, nurse navigator, or financial counselor.

Some agencies are state dependent. For example:

The Center for Family Services supports a holiday gift project in NJ. https://www.centerffs.org/get-help

Organizations that may be able to provide help to a larger region:

 Bringing Hope Home– https://bringinghopehome.org/ 

A one-time grant to people living in the mid-Atlantic region of the US. Applications must be submitted by healthcare professional. Applications are received via fax once a month. This application process is currently closed. However, other grant opportunities may be available throughout 2021. It has been my experience that it’s best to fax before or at 8 AM so that the fax line will be open.

Family Reach–  https://familyreach.org/ftp/#Emergency_Relief_Fund

Offers financial assistance for children/young adults (up to age 30) who have a parent receiving cancer treatments. Family Reach also offers free financial guidebooks to download.

Catholic Charities-  https://www.catholiccharitiesusa.org/

Support for food, rent, utilities as well as housing counseling.

Cancer Recovery Foundation Women’s Cancer Fund–   https://cancerrecovery.org/programs-for-cancer-recovery/womens-cancer-fund/

Apply for help with rent, utilities, and home phone lines. Applications must be submitted by healthcare professional.

St. Vincent DePaul– https://svdpusa.org/Assistance-Services

Assistance with food, rent, utilities. Some offer holiday gifts as well.

There are tons of websites offering ideas for  holiday gifts. However, creative and thoughtful gifts don’t need to be expensive. A personal gift can be the most meaningful.  As a nurse, I love when someone gives me something personal. For instance, my patients know of my struggle with cooking and gardening. Over the years , they have given me hundreds of recipes as gifts. I keep all of them! Similarly, patients and family members have also shared rooted plant clippings as gifts. All of them cherished in decorative pots in my kitchen. These types of gives are so appreciated because they have personal meaning for me, and I treasure them. They are a daily reminder that people living with cancer are so much more than their diagnosis.

I hope this information is helpful.  If you would like to continue this conversation, please click on the Subscribe button at the top of the Blog page. I would love to hear your comments as well as resources that have worked for you. Please share this information with your family and friends.

Keeping you in my prayers,

Jackie

For introductory information and to understand the mission of this blog, please see the Introduction