911 4 HNC means “Help for Head and Neck Cancer.” This is a unique fund dedicated to granting financial aid directly to patients who have or had head and neck cancer (HNC).

WHAT THE FUND DOES

The 9114HNC Fund grants money directly to HNC patients in financial need. The main priorities are to respond to as many applicants as possible and to raise awareness of the critical needs of people with HNC. Many of these cancers are vaccine preventable. Another goal is to educate the public to this fact.

HOW TO APPLY:

Any HNC patient needing financial aid in the Greater Washington, D.C., area can go to the 9114HNC website and download the application. The application must be submitted with the help of a health care professional. Currently, 9114HNC is limited to applicants of he Washington D.C. area, but 9114HNC encourages other localities to produce Courage Unmasked events so applicants for financial aid can be helped nationwide. Please contact 9114HNC for more information.

American Cancer Society

The national American Cancer Society (ACS) office can provide the telephone number of the local ACS office serving your area. The local ACS office MAY offer reimbursement or other resources for expenses related to cancer treatment including transportation, medicine, and medical supplies. Please note that services are different depending on where you are geographically, and which chapter of ACS you are working with. The ACS also offers programs that help cancer patients, family members, and friends cope with the emotional challenges they face. Some publications are available in Spanish. Spanish-speaking staff is available.

Our recommendation is that you contact your local ACS regarding what is actually available in your area for a complete understanding.

Benefits Check Up

BenefitsCheckUp is free service of the National Council on Aging (NCOA), a nonprofit service and advocacy organization in Washington, DC. Many adults over 55 need help paying for prescription drugs, health care, utilities, and other basic needs. There are over 2,000 federal, state and private benefits programs available to help. But many people don’t know these programs exist or how they can apply.

BenefitsCheckUp asks a series of questions to help identify benefits that could save you money and cover the costs of everyday expenses.

The Brenda Mehling Cancer Fund (BMCF)

Supports patients ages 18-40 as they undergo cancer treatment. It provides services to meet daily needs that are not covered by insurance. Typical grants cover $500 worth of medical co-payments, rent and mortgage, transportation, car insurance, repairs, and groceries. Since Brenda founded it in 2001, the Fund has provided $280,888 in services for 406 young adults across 30 different states. She built it for young adults her age to maintain self-respect during months of treatment and minimize the stress of associated financial challenges. Even though she is no longer with us, we are working to fulfill Brenda’s vision of a nationwide support organization that helps young adults fight – and beat – the disease.

Bringing Hope Home

Keeping hope alive for families battling cancer in the Greater Philadelphia Area through emotional and financial support. Through the Light of Hope Family Grant Program, we directly pay household bills to alleviate the financial stress that cancer brings, so that families can focus on their loved one rather than the bills that are piling up.  This ensures that families are able to stay: in their home, with the utilities on, and food on the table. The Light of Hope Family Grant Program is a one-time grant that helps families of any age, gender, race and cancer type. As long as you live in our geographic area and are currently in active treatment for cancer, we want to help!

Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition

The Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition (CFAC) is a coalition of organizations that help cancer patients manage their financial challenges by educating them about existing resources. Patients or health care providers can search the CFAC database for organizations that help with specific cancer diagnoses or that provide a specific type of assistance or need. CFAC is a coalition of organizations and cannot respond to individual requests for financial assistance via e-mail or telephone. Financial Assistance Type:  Cancer Treatment (includes side effects, late effects), Children/Young Adults, Health Insurance/Co-Payments, Lodging (during treatment), Medication, Practical Needs (mortgage, rent, food, transportation)

CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation

CancerCare provides grants to help cancer patients cover the cost of cancer treatment expenses, but they also provide financial aid to help patients pay for the additional childcare or home care expenses incurred during therapy. Call 1-800-813-HOPE for a financial assistance application.

The CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation was established to address the needs of individuals who cannot afford their insurance co-payments to cover the cost of medications for treating cancer. Specifically, the Foundation assists patients who have been prescribed an oral or intravenous medication (chemotherapy), but are unable to afford the out-of-pocket costs or co-payment responsibility required by the insurer or Medicare. The amount of assistance that people receive depends on factors such as income, amount of funding available, insurance coverage, and the actual co-payments that will be incurred within 1 year. The types of cancer and the medications covered by the Foundation change; for the latest information on available funding contact the Foundation o