Breast Cancer Grants – Overview
Breast cancer grants offer financial support and services to people affected by breast cancer. These grants help pay for care and reduce economic burdens.
Treatment and follow-up care costs can become a financial strain for several people in the United States, even with health insurance.
In addition to the cost of the treatment, there are extra expenses that include traveling, the cost of treating or managing long-term side effects, medications, etc.
Therefore, it becomes challenging for most people to afford diagnosis and treatment and meet their daily expenses.
Many organizations offer grants for cancer patients to help people through these financial hardships.
Breast Cancer Grants – How to Cope through the Difficult Time
Breast cancer starts in the breast and grows out of control as the cancer cells begin to grow. The cells usually form a tumor that can be felt as a lump or seen on an x-ray.
Breast cancer is most common in women; however, men can get breast cancer, too.
Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death among women. In the United States, there are more than 4 million women with a history of breast cancer, including those currently being treated and those who have completed treatment.
It has been found that women with cancer are likely to suffer financial hardship. Many women end up exhausting all their savings, taking out loans or going into debt to pay their medical bills.
The medical expenses had a cascading effect on their future financial status.
It decreased their ability to help family members, support children’s education, and sometimes even made it hard for them to pay for basic needs.
The financial impact of cancer can be substantial, even with comprehensive health insurance policies.
Various organizations offer grants and affordable programs that reimburse medical and non-medical costs, especially for lower-income women.
Breast Cancer Grants – Sources of Financial Assistance
The financial costs associated with cancer and its treatment are often overwhelming. Even health insurance doesn’t guarantee the ability to afford treatment. Research for the best suitable financial programs early in the process.
1. Government Assistance
Several federal and state programs provide financial benefits to individuals and families struggling with breast cancer.
These benefits are particularly set up for low-income households, older adults and the disabled with specified eligibility requirements.
The programs administered through state governments can help with healthcare-related needs. Government assistance programs include:
- U.S. Department of Health & Human Services
- U.S. Administration on Aging
- Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services
- Social Security Administration
2. Pharmaceutical Patient Assistance Programs
Drug manufacturers might offer discounted or free medications for patients under a patient assistance program. The Medicine Assistance Tool has pharmaceutical programs and resources for financial assistance. Needy Meds can also help with costs.
3. CancerCare
CancerCare administers the Women’s Cancers Program to help female-identifying individuals cope with cancer.
The funds are provided to assist with oral, pain, and anti-nausea medications, durable medical equipment, and lymphedema supplies. Assistance is also offered for home care, transportation, and childcare for qualified women.
For more information, visit https://www.cancercare.org/
4. American Cancer Society
Volunteer programs may be offered with the local divisions of the American Cancer Society. The purpose is to help with the cost of treatment. At the same time, offering assistance with transportation, wigs and prostheses.
For more information, visit https://www.cancer.org/
5. Komen Treatment Assistance Program
Susan G. Komen is one of the largest nonprofit organizations fighting breast cancer. The organization has invested $1.1 billion in research, community health outreach, advocacy, and programs in more than 60 countries.
The Susan G. Komen Treatment Assistance Program addresses the main challenges of meeting daily living expenses.
It supports breast cancer patients on multiple fronts by paying for food, transportation, medication, child care, anti-nausea medication, oral pain medication, and oral chemotherapy.
For more information, visit https://www.komen.org/treatment-assistance-program/
6. Breast Cancer Charities of America – Help Now Fund
Help Now The Breast Cancer Charities administer fund program. The grants are provided to young breast cancer patients (under age 40).
The aim is to ease the financial burdens experienced by breast cancer patients. These grants can extend the recuperation period after cancer-related treatments and surgeries.
7. The Gift of Hope
The Gift of Hope Breast Cancer Foundation provides financial assistance to women undergoing breast cancer treatment to help cover essential living expenses.
The Gift of Hope believes that women should only worry about their well-being. The foundation pays their monthly bills, such as electricity, gas, phone, and groceries.
For more information, visit https://forthegiftofhope.org/
8. The Pink Fund
The Pink Fund is a nonprofit organization that provides financial support for 90 days of non-medical living expenses to breast cancer patients in active treatment.
Their aim is that patients should focus on healing, returning to the workplace and raising their families.
For more information, visit https://pinkfund.org/
9. Sisters Network Inc.
The Sisters Network Breast Cancer Assistance Program assists breast cancer survivors facing financial challenges.
The funds help pay for housing, office visits, and copays while undergoing radiation, surgery, or chemotherapy treatment.
Sisters Network Inc. is a national African American breast cancer survivorship organization dedicated to raising awareness about the impact of breast cancer in the African American community.
For more information, visit https://www.sistersnetworkinc.org/
10. Team Maggie
Team Maggie is a nonprofit organization that offers a cure grant of $2,500 to cancer patients to cover fertility preservation costs.
11. AvonCares Program
The AvonCares Program, provided by the Avon Foundation for Women in partnership with CancerCare, offers financial support to help underserved women manage the costs associated with breast cancer treatment.
The program assists in paying for diagnostic services for women who have had breast, ovarian, or cervical cancer screenings. It also helps with living expenses such as child care, home care, and transportation.
For more information, visit https://www.cancercare.org/financial
Conclusion
Cancer treatments are already expensive, and the costs are likely to increase with more expensive and advanced treatments adopted as standards of care.
Therefore, if paying for breast cancer treatment and follow-up care seems overwhelming, there are grants you can apply for and get the help you need.
Breast cancer grants and a variety of resources are available to help you.
Don’t skip the treatments and get the care you deserve!
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