Resources for Our Hero Families!
We have compiled lists of resources that we have verified over time and have personal relationships with for our families to use as needed. Each of the organizations has a true heart for chronically ill children, their families, and each of their journey's. Wichita's Littlest Heroes refers our families in need to agencies that can help locally and nationally! We will be happy to work with you to help you apply for this or any other grant or resource available. For more information please email wichitaslittlestheroesinfo@gmail.com.
The Abigail Alliance is committed to helping create wider access to developmental cancer drugs and other drugs for serious life-threatening illnesses.
-
Adult
-
Pediatric
Accelerate Brain Cancer Cure has a list of centers that specialize in brain tumor treatment. These centers will house the most experienced doctors, have the best technology, and have access to the most clinical trials. NCI-designated “Comprehensive Cancer Centers” are a simple screen. For kids, it is best to be treated at a children’s hospital where there are pediatric specialists and a kid-friendly atmosphere.
-
Adult
-
Information/Support Groups
This site maintains a list of groups that can provide flights to patients in need of care.
-
Travel
Air Charity Network is comprised of network member organizations who cover specific geographical service areas and coordinate volunteer pilot flights in the continental United States as well as Alaska and Hawaii. Rules vary by individual member organizations.
-
Travel
Give Life Interrupted Grants that cover a wide range of needs, including (but not limited to): current and residual medical bills, rent, utilities, car and health insurance premiums, IVF treatments, integrative therapies, travel expenses, computer, phone, hair pieces, etc. to patients between the ages of 15-36.
-
Adult
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Always Keep Pedaling Foundation
Provide young adults in financial need with the means to use adventure sports, athletics, and adaptive sports to energize a comeback from cancer.
-
Financial
American Brain Tumor Association
Free, hour-long monthly webinars on topics of interest to brain tumor patients, families, and health care professionals. They also have a guide for the newly diagnosed.
-
Information/Support Groups
ACS has 31 Hope Lodge locations throughout the United States. Accommodations and eligibility requirements may vary by location.
-
Housing Assistance
American Childhood Cancer Organization
Publishes and distributes free childhood cancer books and materials for parents, patients, siblings, educators and caregivers.
-
Information/Support Groups
-
Pediatric
Andre Sobel River of Life Foundation
Provides emergency assistance within 24 hours to single caregivers of children with catastrophic or life threatening illnesses who are in financial crisis.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Give the hope that comes from Jesus to newly diagnosed children and their families affected by cancer or other serious illnesses, primarily by the delivery of a Basket of Hope filled with inspirational materials to nourish them mentally, emotionally, and spiritually.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Provide financial and emotional support to families of children with cancer.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Resilience-based intervention designed to support and strengthen children and families coping with serious illness.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Brain Cancer Share Your Shirts
This is a Facebook only effort that asks runners to "sponsor" a child in their upcoming race (5K, 10K, Marathon - any race!). The runner simply signs up and then donates their shirt to a child fighting brain cancer. No money involved - just a sharing of shirts.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Assisting Families of Children diagnosed with Cancer to improve their Child’s Survival Odds with both Financial and Emotional Support.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Cameron Siemers Foundation For Hope
If you are between the ages of 18 and 30 and have been diagnosed with a life-threatening illness, you can apply for a Life Grant™. A Life Grant is an award up to $5,000 to be used in the fulfillment of a dream, goal, or project that you take on to make a difference in your life and the lives of others.
-
Adult
A camp for children who have a parent who is currently in remission of, battling, or has passed from cancer.
-
Camp
A medically supervised, cost-free Montana experience, in an intimate community setting, to children and young adults, and families affected by cancer.
-
Camp
Camp Rainbow Gold is a summer oncology camp, a sibling camp and a family camp. All camps are FREE to all campers and take place over the summer in the Sawtooth National Forest near Ketchum, Idaho. They also have a college scholarship program and a teen support group.
-
Camp
-
Scholarship
Free, year-round retreat that provides respite, support, joy, and hope to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
Camp
Help cancer patients identify treatment options to consider if standard treatment for their cancer does not help them.
-
Adult
Cancer Card Xchange collects monetary and gift card donations and then distributes gift cards to verified cancer patients simply to brighten their day. CCX depends 100% on donations. Gift cards are given out to verified cancer patients as available.
-
Gifts
Cancer for College provides hope to survivors by granting college scholarships.
-
Scholarship
Cancer Hope Foundation/Camp Keepsake
A cost-free camp retreat for adult cancer patients/survivors, their children and friends. Camp Keepsake provides support in an energetic and fun atmosphere. The invitation is extended to family members, close friends, and caregivers, hoping that they too will benefit from their visit to Camp Keepsake.
-
Adult
-
Camp
Provide information, resources and personal stories about all aspects of day to day living with cancer. You’ll find articles on music therapy, skin care advice, childhood cancer advocacy, physical activity, working during chemo, intimacy and issues specific to young adults with cancer.
-
Adult
Provides free, confidential info & resources on cancer-related legal issues through their national hotline 866-THE-CLRC.
Cancer Support Community Helpline
Whether you are newly diagnosed with cancer or a long-time cancer survivor or caring for someone with cancer, or a health care professional looking for resources, CSC’s TOLL-FREE Cancer Support Helpline is open Mon-Fri 9 am- 9 pm ET.
Offer limited financial assistance for cancer-related costs, and our professional oncology social workers can help you find resources.
-
Financial
CancerCare Co-Payment Assistance Foundation
Provides free, professional support services to anyone affected by cancer. CancerCare® Co-Payment Assistance Foundation provides access to all of CancerCare® services, including telephone, online and in-person counseling, support groups, resource referrals, publications, education and financial assistance with treatment-related expenses such as transportation and child care.
-
Adult
-
Financial
-
Housing Assistance
-
Information/Support Groups
-
Pediatric
-
Travel
Free patient blogs that connect friends and family during a health challenge.
Provide education, peer support, and resources to family caregivers across the country free of charge.
Offer protected websites for connecting people when it matters most.
Caring Connections provides people with information and support when they are planning ahead, caring for a loved one, living with an illness or grieving a loss.
CaringMeals.com is a free service that helps you coordinate meals for your friends and family in their time of need.
-
Gifts
Chalik & Chalik Annual Survivors Scholarship
Aimed at those who have survived a serious medical diagnosis and are moving forward in their lives, the $1,000 scholarship is open to those attending college or law school in the U.S each fall. Applications due August 1st each year.
-
Scholarship
Challenged Athletes Foundation
Supports the athletic endeavors of people with physical challenges by providing unparalleled sports opportunities that lead to success in sports — and in life. They can provide funding grants for equipment such as sports wheelchairs, handcycles, mono skis and sports prosthetics, and resources for training and competition expenses directly to physically challenged individuals.
Since 2003, they’ve set up and organized Child’s Play, a game industry charity dedicated to improving the lives of children with toys and games in our network of over 70 hospitals worldwide.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Health Information Concierge provides brain tumor patients, whether newly diagnosed or battling a brain tumor recurrence, with detailed information, resources and support via phone or email.
Cleaning For A Reason is a nonprofit organization partnering with maid services to offer free professional house cleanings to improve the lives of women undergoing treatment for any kind of cancer.
-
Adult
-
Gifts
A list of available clinical trials. A service of the U.S. National Institutes of Health
-
Adult
-
Clinical Trial
-
Pediatric
Delivering smiles to children in hospitals by sewing them colorful pillowcases.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Care packages for kids with cancer are sent directly to their homes in our effort to make their day a little brighter as they open up a box of surprises. They also publish a quarterly newsletter for childhood cancer patients, and provide free tickets to events in the Baltimore, MD area.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Help cancer patients access the best possible treatment for their specific type of cancer by arranging free travel to treatment across the country using empty seats on corporate jets.
-
Travel
Provides financial assistance to the parents of children battling brain cancer to make a day in the life of a family suffering from cancer a little bit brighter.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Courageous Cartoons for Kids Fighting Cancer
Original drawings created for kids fighting cancer.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Honors soccer fans, ages 10 to 15, with a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see their favorite team - domestic or international - play on their home pitch or another unique soccer venue.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
To improve the lives of young adults with cancer
-
Adult
Promote and enrich the lives of children who are seriously, chronically or terminally ill. We offer children with life threatening illnesses the chance to hope, dream and live their fantasies.
-
Pediatric
Dream Foundation grants final dreams from the heart for adults with a life-limiting illness
-
Adult
EmergingMed's mission is to create a coordinated, seamless connection between patients, clinical trials, and physicians at exactly the right time--when a person's medical situation is perfectly aligned with a researcher's effort to find new and better treatments. The company's broader vision is to accelerate the discovery of new and better treatments for people with serious and life threatening medical conditions.
-
Adult
-
Clinical Trial
-
Pediatric
Free week-long outdoor experiences for individuals who have been diagnosed with cancer. They welcome those that were diagnosed at any time in their lives. It could be last month or 10 years ago.
-
Adult
-
Camp
Help families with a child or parent afflicted with cancer deal with the overwhelming financial and emotional burdens of the disease. Assistance given with utilities, everyday expenses, transportation, mortgage or rent, and uncovered medical expenses.
-
Adult
-
Financial
-
Housing Assistance
-
Pediatric
-
Travel
A shark-diving project for cancer survivors
Offers young adult cancer fighters and survivors a free outdoor adventure experience designed to empower them to climb, paddle and surf beyond their diagnosis, defy their cancer, reclaim their lives and connect with others doing the same.
-
Adult
-
Camp
Provide free portrait packages to children with cancer in cities across the country. Each family is presented with framed enlargements, proofs and a CD of all the images.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Provides financial assistance to families in dire need when they reach an out of control financial crisis due to the overwhelming nature of their child’s illness and medical care.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Match cancer patients with a trained survivor of a similar experience so they can face cancer with someone who's been there.
FoJ pairs up children and their families battling pediatric brain tumors with college and high school sports teams. The teams give these children love, support and friendship as they fight this devastating disease.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Provides supplementary financial assistance to families, guardians or caregivers with financial needs resulting from expenses associated with the child’s brain tumor treatment. This program covers specific non-medical costs related to a primary brain tumor diagnosis. Direct medical expenses will not be covered. Grants of up to $500.00 per family, guardian or caregiver are available for those families that meet the criteria.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Patient assistance support is for eligible patients in the U.S. who don't have insurance coverage or who can't afford out-of-pocket co-pay costs.
-
Financial
Provide memorable, magical, cost-free experiences to children with life-threatening illnesses and their families.
-
Pediatric
Good Wishes provides an It's a Wrap© or Good Wishes square scarf to anyone experiencing the thinning or loss of hair as a result of illness or treatment at no cost. Each scarf is a gift of hope that carries with it the support and good wishes of people who care and represents the strength and dignity of those who wear it. Their goal is to, in some small way, ease their journey, provide a bit of comfort and share the power of positive thinking and good wishes with these individuals on their path to healing and recovery.
-
Gifts
Provide One on One Support for patients, families, and caregivers who are suffering from multiple forms of Brain Cancer
Provide every in-need chemotherapy patient with a cap crafted by a loving volunteer.
-
Gifts
Assist patients living with chronic and life-altering illnesses in paying their share of prescription drug copayments, deductibles, and health insurance premiums.
-
Financial
Heaps of Hope assists women with a cancer diagnosis by offering assistance with the cost of transportation to medical appointments, Helping pay for medications when women have no prescription coverage or have very high co-payments for their medication, helping pay hospital bills for uncovered treatments or tests, assisting with the cost of integrative therapies which are not covered by health insurance and can be helpful treating pain, nausea, insomnia and anxiety, offering grocery gift cards to help ease the financial strain that this illness can cause, and providing an inspirational book - There's No Place Like Hope - to women who are newly diagnosed. Referral must come from a medical professional.
-
Adult
-
Financial
-
Gifts
Help patients and families bridge the financial gap between what their health insurance will cover and what they actually need to heal, live and thrive. They work to provide patients, families and community volunteers with the tools and support to launch successful fundraising campaigns to meet out-of-pocket medical expenses. They provide: personalized fundraising guidance; customized fundraising materials; free web pages for online fundraising; tax deductibility and fiscal accountability for donors and more.
-
Financial
Offers cancer patients and their caregivers a free place to stay when their best hope for effective treatment may be in another city. Locations in 31 cities.
-
Housing Assistance
Information on Hydrocephalus symptoms as well as information on shunts and how they operate.
Provide custom celebration cakes to ill children and their siblings.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Provide personalized connections that enable one-on-one support among cancer fighters, survivors and caregivers.
They send kids with cancer regular boosts of encouragement. These fun boosts include JoyJars, NEGU Power Packs, I’m a NEGU Kid t-shirts, NEGU PJ’s, NEGU wristbands, Family Fun Packs, toys for siblings, We NEGU for You designs, NEGU Kid of The Week promotion, online Joy Mobbing and much more.
-
Pediatric
You focus on beating cancer, we'll find you a place to stay. Joe's House is a nonprofit organization providing an online nation-wide list of places to stay to assist cancer patients and their families find lodging near treatment centers.
-
Housing Assistance
Offers a variety of camp and recreational activities year-around for children with cancer and their families.
-
Camp
-
Pediatric
Grant wishes to kids between ages 3 and 18 who are battling life-threatening conditions. They also have a Funeral Assistance program that makes funds available to a wish family in the event of their child’s passing.
-
Pediatric
Serves children with cancer and their families at a seaside retreat to help them to laugh, restore family relationships and find hope in God.
-
Camp
-
Pediatric
Provide a little comfort blanket to children ages four and under who are receiving medical care throughout the U.S.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
The LIVESTRONG Foundation can help navigate insurance forms and financial assistance programs. They offer one-on-one support and general cancer information about a wide range of cancers. They also offer the LIVESTRONG Guidebook, a companion for cancer survivors, as they navigate the health care system.
Give free hats to kids with cancer.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
They send childhood brain cancer warriors and their siblings (when applicable) upbeat cards or small "Fairy Packages" (Fairy themed for girls and Super-Hero themed for boys), while siblings over the age of 10 receive iTunes gift cards.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Grants the wish of a child diagnosed with a life-threatening medical condition in the United States and its territories.
-
Pediatric
Programs serve families to thrive against childhood cancers including anticancer nutrition support packages, distribute a "Love + Light Package" consisting of a Cloud b's Twilight Turtle as well as a MaxLove Brand beanie to kids fighting cancer at home and in the hospital, and an online support group for SuperKid families across the nation.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
MedGift support pages take the awkwardness out of asking for help. Our pages include financial support, calendaring, and communications to keep your caring community up to date.
-
Adult
-
Financial
-
Gifts
-
Housing Assistance
-
Pediatric
Merck Patient Assistance Program
Private and confidential program provides medicine free of charge to eligible individuals, primarily the uninsured who, without our assistance, could not afford needed Merck medicines, including Temodar.
Provide travel assistance to Americans living in poverty and/or living in rural or small town areas who lack the financial means to travel to distant medical specialists for essential care and treatment.
-
Adult
-
Pediatric
-
Travel
Providie electronic gifts to hospitalized, seriously ill children so they can have a diversion and connect with friends, family, and school.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Provide travel assistance to qualified patients.
-
Travel
Provides financial support and hope to families affected by childhood cancer.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Provide free commercial medical air travel across the US to give kids their best chance at a brighter future.
-
Travel
Provide financial assistance for medical-related travel expenses due to child's illness.
-
Financial
-
Travel
Provides financial assistance to families who are burdened by the staggering cost of brain cancer treatment.
-
Financial
-
Provide safe, healing and accessible online communities, services, and events to help our members (moms of children with cancer) during the most difficult days of their lives
Each pre-school or elementary aged child is provided with a "monkey kit" which includes a big stuffed monkey that takes their place in school when they are unable to be there.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Provides help matching patients to clinical trials.
-
Clinical Trial
National Association of Hospital Hospitality Houses
Hospital hospitality houses (HHH) provide free or significantly reduced cost lodging to patients and their families while receiving medical care away from their home communities. Unlike a hotel, HHHs provide opportunities for those going through similar stressful situations to come together as a community where they can support one another. HHHs have shared kitchens, common living areas and private bedrooms just like a home, creating a warm and comfortable place far from home. See website for complete listing.
Information about brain tumors, reports and publications.
National Children's Cancer Society
Financial, emotional, and educational resource for families that can't make ends meet when their child is diagnosed with cancer.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
-
Scholarship
-
Travel
National Patient Travel Center
They maintain a help line and programs that assist with travel both on private and commercial planes.
Resource of programs that provide assistance to people who are unable to afford their medications and health care costs.
Parenting Children With Special Needs
Dedicated to enhancing the Quality of Life of families whom have a child with challenges that are associated with a medical diagnosis. We empower these special families by providing them funding, educational resources, community awareness and support.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Partnership for Prescription Assistance
Assist patients with finding patient assistance programs for prescription medicines.
-
Adult
-
Pediatric
Provides patients with arbitration, mediation and negotiation to settle issues with access to care, medical debt, and job retention related to their illness.
Patient AirLift Services (PALS)
Arrange free air transportation for individuals requiring medical diagnosis, treatment or follow-up who cannot afford or are unable to fly commercially. They cover flights in the entire northeast United States as far west as Ohio and as far south as Virginia. PALS also arranges volunteer flights for family members of patients as compassionate missions, to ensure patients have support when they are away home for long periods.
-
Travel
Provide a "safety net" for patients with chronic illnesses who are struggling to keep up with expensive premiums and copayments.
-
Adult
-
Financial
Provides custom, hand-painted shoes to children living with disabilities and fighting serious illnesses.
Eases the financial impact of cancer by giving financial support to families of children with cancer.
Provide a variety of services to parents with critically ill children, including meals, mortgage assistance, funeral assistance, and much, much more.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Provide a guide for Disaster Preparedness for People with Disabilities and other Special Needs
-
Adult
-
Pediatric
Provides financial, emotional, and educational support for children and their families affected by pediatric brain cancer.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Ronald McDonald House Charities
A Ronald McDonald House is that “home-away-from-home” for families so they can stay close by their hospitalized child at little or no cost. At every House, families can enjoy: Home-cooked meals, Private bedrooms, and Playrooms for children Additionally, RMH offers scholarships to students in financial need who have demonstrated academic achievement, leadership and community involvement. Applications are accepted in the fall.
-
Housing Assistance
-
Scholarship
Patient assistance programs are run by pharmaceutical companies to provide free medications to people who cannot afford to buy their medicine. RxAssist offers a comprehensive database of these patient assistance programs, as well as practical tools, news, and articles so that health care professionals and patients can find the information they need. All in one place.
-
Financial
Help people in need in obtaining critical medications that they would normally have trouble affording.
-
Adult
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Help military children and their families battle childhood cancer.
-
Pediatric
The SAMFund is the only nonprofit organization in the country designed to help young adults (YAs) recover from the devastating financial impact of cancer treatment. They provide direct financial assistance to young adult cancer survivors and provide online support through their blog and webinars.
-
Financial
Seeking Peace: Brain Tumor Hospice Care
Information for caregivers about end-stage events and care.
Free copy of the album, Singing Our Way Through, either as a digital or hard copy for children facing an accute or life threatening illness.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
Provide financial support to those families burdened by pediatric brain tumors.
Benefits to you and certain members of your family if you have worked long enough and have a medical condition that has prevented you from working or is expected to prevent you from working for at least 12 months or end in death.
Soul Sitters provides a comforting place of community and expert insight for those in need of guidance during a time of life often neglected – before the death of a loved one. Personal stories and tips on how to support a loved one through this challenging journey.
One-stop shop for newly diagnosed young adults as well as survivors.
Provide support, coping tools, and small gifts to siblings of young cancer patients.
Help young adults aged 18-39 who are facing the challenges of cancer by funding their creative passions, pursuits, and hobbies as well as integrative therapies such as acupuncture, reflexology, and therapeutic massage.
-
Adult
Provide online support groups to people affected by brain tumors and related conditions.
-
Adult
They send care packages for parents of children who are undergoing long-term stays at the hospital and blankets for the children. The also have a sibling pen pal program.
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
The Cure Our Children Foundation
Information on how to get drugs that have not yet received FDA approval. *Please note that Dragon Master Foundation is not encouraging or endorsing the use of non-FDA approved drugs, but we know that some families are seeing this information.
-
Pediatric
Provide support to families of pediatric brain cancer by creating a medical assistance funds page where people can make a tax-deductible gift to help with a specific family's needs. They also run the Monkey In My Chair program to help children stay in touch with classmates when they miss school.
-
Financial
-
Gifts
-
Pediatric
The Lydia Project provides free services to women anywhere facing any type of cancer. This support includes ongoing correspondence and encouragement every month for at least twelve months.
List of all, WORLDWIDE clinical trials associated with that type of pediatric cancer.
-
Clinical Trial
-
Pediatric
The Ulman Fund for Young Adults
The Ulman Cancer Fund offers remote and on-site Navigation services for young adult cancer patients (15 to 39 years old) and survivors. All services are free of charge and available to family members and loved ones. They also have a scholarship program for young adults to continue their education after being affected by cancer through their own diagnosis or the diagnosis of a loved one.
-
Adult
-
Scholarship
Provide funds to families with children diagnosed with life-threatening cancer to help pay for travel, a mortgage or rent check, and other cost of living expenses.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
-
Travel
Individuals and families without prescription drug coverage can gain access to immediate savings on hundreds of brand-name and generic prescription products at their neighborhood pharmacies. Through this website, we also connect you with resources about the Health Insurance Marketplace, the Affordable Care Act, individual pharmaceutical company patient assistance programs, and other patient assistance resources.
-
Financial
Send mail to children living with difficult circumstances.
The mission of the Tug McGraw Foundation is to provide resources and hands-on support, foster understanding, promote awareness, and stimulate research and scientific collaboration to improve quality of life for people with brain-related trauma and tumors.
Provide emotional support, understanding and financial assistance to those battling tumors of any kind.
UnitedHealthcare Children’s Foundation
Provide financial help/assistance for families with children that have medical needs not covered or not fully covered by their commercial health insurance plan. Patient must be 16 or younger. Grant funds are not paid to the family or the child outright. Grant families must work with the Foundation on submitting invoices/bills for approved medical services/items after their commercial health insurance plan submits initial payment (if any) to the health care provider.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Film documentaries of cancer survivors and post them online as a source of support for patients, their friends & family.
Provide free custom wigs made from real hair to children who lost their hair due to illness, treatments or burns.
Hero Clubs are student clubs that support causes that are personal and meaningful to them as they experience giving back to their community and beyond.
WishWarriors is a Non-profit Organization committed to spreading awareness for Childhood Cancer, providing Care & Hope for the Children fighting cancer, raising Funds for Families & helping find a Cure!
Provide emotional and financial support to children with a life-threatening illness and their families.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
From paying a phone bill or mortgage payment to aiding in paying for medical bills deemed "experimental" or due to lack of insurance, Contractors for Kids provides financial assistance to families of sick children.
-
Financial
-
Pediatric
Arms Wide Open Childhood Cancer Foundation
Provide monthly grants to families suffering hardship due to their childs diagnosis.
-
Financial
