Children With Special Needs - National Children's Cancer Society

The National Children's Cancer Society

 

The mission of The National Children's Cancer Society
is to improve the quality of life for children with cancer and to reduce the risk of cancer by promoting children's health through financial and in-kind assistance, advocacy, support services, education and prevention programs.

 

The National Children's Cancer Society reaches out to children and their families by providing support for their medical and emotional needs:

 

PEDIATRIC ONCOLOGY PROGRAM (POP)
The goal of POP is to help families who have a child with cancer. The program offers financial assistance, emotional support and advocacy.

Financial Assistance - Patient and Family Services works in partnership with hospital professionals to ensure that children are not denied treatment due to a lack of funding. These medical expenses can include bone marrow transplants, donor searches & harvests, pharmaceuticals and supplies.

We also assist with the related expenses that a family faces when their child has cancer. These expenses can seem monumental to families. Assistance may include travel, lodging, meals and household needs.

Emotional Support - Patient & Family Services has qualified staff who provide ongoing support to families throughout their child's treatment.

Advocacy - Patient and Family Services advocates for families by providing resources for support and assistance within their community and interceding on behalf of children with insurance companies, hospitals and other agencies to negotiate reasonable financial solutions for the child's care.

LETTING KIDS BE KIDS (LKBK)

Because we believe all children deserve the opportunity to enjoy childhood, the N.C.C.S. has developed the LKBK program. N.C.C.S. works in partnership with hospitals and other organizations to put some of the normal activities of childhood back into the lives of children with cancer. LKBK provides sponsorship to pediatric oncology camps nationwide. LKBK also provides laptop computers, cameras and scrapbooks to pediatric oncology units for children to enjoy.

EDUCATION/WELLNESS PROGRAM

N.C.C.S. helps educate families with current information so they may better understand their child's illness. Additionally, N.C.C.S. provides cancer prevention materials to help children make healthy choices about tobacco use.


A few of the children N.C.C.S. is helping:

Katrina
KATRINA

You'd think being diagnosed with clear cell carcinoma and having a kidney removed at 9 months would at least slow a child down, but Katrina refused to let anything get in the way of her fun. Three days aftre major surgery, she was pulling herself up in her crib! Doctors thought the extensive chemotherapy after surgery would stop her from walking, but she proved them wrong again, learning to toddle all over the hospital.

Perhaps Katrina's inner strength and determination came from her supportive family. With loving parents and a protective older brother around, Katrina had a wonderful circle of support around her through her battle.

N.C.C.S. helped the family stay together by providing financial assistance for food, transportation, telephone and car payments, easing the stress and enabling the family to focus all their love and energy on Katrina.

Kylie
KYLIE

At age 2 this "little angel", as her parents call her, was diagnosed with stage IV neuroblastoma. One of the ravages of her treatment was the loss of Kylie's beautiful thick hair. Kylie found a unique way to cope. Proud mom Maria says "Kylie kinda uses my hair as a substitute for hers"!

Before Kylie's illness, dad Michael worked 2 jobs, but the strain of also running to the hospital forced him to give up one job. Strongly feeling they needed to be at Kylie's side during the difficult and painful chemotherapy, maria also left her job to focus all her energy on her child.

As a result, the family's income was substantially reduced. N.C.C.S. provided financial assistance so that both parents could travel to Children's Hospital Pittsburgh and be with Kylie. "It's Kylie's strength that absolutely amazes us," says Maria. There's no doubt this family draws strength from each other by staying together.

 

Laura
LAURA

Little Laura was diagnosed with a brain tumor just days before her 1st birthday. Even after Being discharged from the hosptial, it was crucial that she be monitored around the clock by a person trained in CPR and in the case of pediatric tracheotomy tube. Her family's insurance company wuld not cover the cost of home health care Laura so desperately needed as she fought for her life.

Laura's family turned to N.C.C.S., which immediately provided the cost of private duty nursing. In addition, N.C.C.S. joined forces with others who advocated on behhalf of the family with the insurance company. They eventually agreed to cover the cost of Laura's home health care.

This beautiful little girl fought bravely for two long years. On Thanksgiving Day 1997, Laura died peacefully at home in her father's arms, surrounded by  her loving family.

Mikey
MIKEY, 3

Diagnosis:
Anaplasic Astrocytoma

Robyn
ROBYN, 14

Diagnosis:
Acute Mylogenic Leukemia

Shalondra.jpg (6134 bytes)
SHALONDRA, 6

Diagnosis:
Wilm's Tumor


If you would like more information, please contact the

National Children's Cancer Society
pfs@children-cancer.com

Volunteers:
volunteers@children-cancer.com

Or visit their website at:
http://www.children-cancer.com

Back To
Children With Special Needs Main Page

Web Design & Graphics by Creative Concepts Design© 1995-2000