Children’s Fund
Kids Beating Cancer Children’s Fund provides a series of unique and critically needed services directed at removing some of the overwhelming burdens placed on families going through the prolonged and difficult treatment process of a bone marrow or stem cell transplant.
Kids Beating Cancer Children’s Fund focus for these special children and their families, is what every parent wants: their child to be healthy, to beat cancer, and for the family to survive the long journey to a cure.
The Children’s Fund vision that inspired years of tenacious, unwavering effort was culminated in the opening of the KIDS BEATING CANCER PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANT CENTER, at AdventHealth for Children in Orlando in 2012, an 8-bed state-of-the-art facility.
Through Kids Beating Cancer Children’s Fund, children are able to access bone marrow and stem cell transplants by identifying a compatible donor, costs never covered by Medicaid and some insurances through the FUND THE MATCH program. Children arrive in the KIDS BEATING CANCER PEDIATRIC TRANSPLANT CENTER to a fully decorated, fun themed hospital room selected by the child, reducing fear and stress through the MY ROOM” program. The “FOOD FOR FAMILIES” programs keeps the Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center Kitchen stocked with meals, drinks, and snacks, as well as food vouchers are available for meals to be delivered to help the families remain strong and less overwhelmed with the fear of not being able to afford the most basic necessity during transplant, food.
The heart of the Kids Beating Cancer Children’s Fund is SAVING CHILDREN’S LIVES.
FUND THE MATCH
The testing to determine if children are transplant eligible and to identify their donor is just the beginning of the financial burdens that will devastate a family during the treatment process. Kids Beating Cancer reduces this burden by funding the pre-transplant testing cost. The expensive donor matching lab tests and donor searching expenses necessary for every child to access their only hope for a cure are costs never funded by Medicaid and some insurance. The average cost per for child is $10,000 even before the transplant is started. Kids Beating Cancer reduces that burden on the families so every child can have equal access to a cure through the “FUND THE MATCH” program for children treated at the Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center.
“FUND THE MATCH” program provides children access to treatment allowing them a second chance at life, a chance to grow up, free of pain, and to live a normal life span. With Medicaid NEVER funding the pre-transplant testing from patient eligibility, to transplant readiness, testing family members necessary to identify a potential donor, to funding a national and international donor search for a volunteer donor for the 70% of the time when a match in the family is not identified. Kids Beating Cancer is the only funding source to give these children access to the best and only hope for a cure.
“FOOD FOR FAMILIES” are Kids Beating Cancer Meal Vouchers equal to real money, that are given to families with a child in the Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center to east breakfast, lunch, and dinner, and the Kids Beating Cancer Kitchen is stocked with meals, drinks, and snacks for the families. Kids Beating Cancer pays for meals so parents don’t have to worry about having cash in order to eat. Parents can order meals to be delivered to their child’s room from any of the hospital cafeterias or one of the community participating restaurants so they don’t have to leave their child alone in order to eat. The “FOOD FOR FAMILIES” program is not simply providing meals as an end in itself. Removing the need to worry about where every meal is coming from provides stability and freedom from financial stress for these families going through this already tremendously stressful treatment.
When a child needs a bone marrow or stem cell transplant the treatment will require them to be away from the familiarity and comforts of home for many weeks, even months, often causing children to become very homesick. Kids Beating Cancer’s “MY ROOM” program allows each child to put their distinct fingerprint on the place they will be calling home by allowing each child to pick the theme of their hospital room. From sheets and bedding, wall decorations, to toys and accents, the hospital room will be transformed to the “coolest bedroom look” filled with the bright colors of; Disney Princesses, Spiderman, Ninja Turtles, Star Wars, sports teams are just a few of the themes the children select. The children can then focus on the fun and calming of their theme, with corresponding toys and comforts softening the look of a very high tech, state of the art Kids Beating Cancer Pediatric Transplant Center hospital room.
If you would like to purchase a MY ROOM email cc@kidsbeatingcancer.com.
Note: A $500 donation funds a complete room
