Family Cancer Assistance
You fight the cancer. We'll help hold the fort.
When cancer hits a family, the bills don't wait for treatment to end. We help with the everyday costs so you can focus on the fight.
The program
Real help, for real bills, right when it matters
Mike Kelly spent two years in treatment, and even with good insurance and a family ready to rally, the costs of cancer reached into every corner of life the mortgage, the electric bill, the gas for the drive to appointments, the groceries that kept the five kids fed. He never once stopped working to take care of his people.
The Family Cancer Assistance Program exists because most families don't have that kind of cushion when a diagnosis lands. We provide direct financial help fast, respectful, and free of red tape to households in Pennsylvania dealing with active cancer treatment. No hoops, no judgment, no forty-page forms. Just neighbors helping neighbors, the way Mike would have.
At a glance
Who it's for
Households with a member in active cancer treatment
Where
Pennsylvania residents
What we cover
Housing, utilities, groceries, travel to treatment
How fast
Applications reviewed weekly
What we help with
Where the money goes
Rent & mortgage
Help with rent or mortgage payments so a diagnosis doesn't put the roof over your head at risk.
Utilities
Electric, gas, water, and heating oil the bills that can't be put off while you're at the hospital.
Travel to treatment
Gas cards, parking, tolls, and lodging near treatment centers when care is far from home.
Groceries
Help keeping the pantry full because treatments are hard enough on an empty stomach.
Medical bills
Copays, deductibles, and uncovered medical or pharmacy costs that stack up fast.
Other essential needs
Situational costs that come with the territory: childcare, accessibility needs, or anything else the committee can justify.
Every request is reviewed individually by the foundation committee. If your need is real and cancer is at the center of it, we want to hear about it even if it doesn't fit neatly into a category.
Eligibility
Who this program is for
We keep the rules short on purpose. You qualify if these four things are true:
Active cancer treatment
Someone in your household is currently in treatment for cancer, or finished treatment within the last six months.
Pennsylvania household
The household applying lives in Pennsylvania the community Mike built his life in.
Cancer-related hardship
The bills you need help with are directly tied to the cancer journey: lost income, treatment costs, travel, or the everyday expenses that fall behind when a wage-earner is sick.
Genuine need
You've explored what you can cover and applied for other aid where it's available. We're here to fill the gaps, not replace other programs.
Documentation
What to have ready
We ask for just enough to make sure help goes where it's needed. Nothing you send us leaves the committee.
Verification of treatment
A letter, portal screenshot, or appointment summary from the treating hospital or oncology practice.
The bills you need help with
The specific bills or invoices you're requesting help with rent statement, utility bill, medical invoice, or a cost estimate.
A brief statement of hardship
A short note on how your household was affected a few honest sentences is all it takes.
Don't have everything yet? Apply anyway. Our coordinator will walk you through what's missing.
How to apply
Four steps, about a week
From application to decision in about a week. Here's how it works:
Tell us your situation
Fill out the application below it takes about ten minutes and asks only for what we truly need.
Send your documents
Email or bring in the verification and bills from the list above. Our coordinator confirms receipt within two business days.
We review weekly
The committee reviews applications every week and calls you personally with the decision never a form letter.
We pay the bill directly
Approved payments go directly to the landlord, utility, hospital, or vendor so the money solves the problem it was meant for.
Applications are open
Apply for assistance
Every field marked with an asterisk is required. What you share here goes only to the foundation's assistance committee.
By submitting, you confirm the information above is true to the best of your knowledge and consent to the foundation contacting you about your application.
A little luck, when you need it most
Let us carry some of it
Mike used to say luck is what you make for other people. If cancer has your family down, let us help you carry it.
Questions about assistance? Reach us through the contact form in the footer.