Financial Support for Canadian Families with Children with Cancer
In coordination with Neuroblastoma Canada, Ac2orn (Advocacy for Canadian Childhood Oncology Research Network) developed a resource for families with children with cancer who require financial assistance and/or require financial assistance when traveling to access treatment. This resource is a listing of provincial, national and international charities and funds that provide financial help to families with children with cancer. Neuroblastoma Canada and Ac2orn were also supported in this initiative by a number of Social Workers across Canada who helped provide updated information on these funding sources.
Please note: these funding sources and/or their requirements can change without notice. Please speak with your Social Worker and/or Care Team so they can help you access these support systems if necessary.
A patient and family fund has been established through U-Link, as a financial program available to families across Canada who must travel to access early phase clinical trials (phase 1 and 2) for children and adolescents with cancer. Read more about it here.
Last Updated: February 2023
National:
Providing airline seats to parents and children with advanced medical treatments.
Travel assistance within Canada or to the USA provided up to $4,000 annually (or $8,000 annually for patients enrolled in ALSF funded trials). Family must meet various criteria that are all listed on the website (e.g., age at diagnosis, annual household income, etc.). ALSF pays the travel vendors directly or works directly with the Social Worker/Care Team at your child’s hospital.
You must have a confirmed appointment that is covered by your provincial healthcare plan, be medically cleared to fly, and have a financial need. Flights are within Canada, if treatment is covered by provincial health plan they will assist with travel outside of Canada too.
Jennifer Ashleigh Children’s Charity
Provide financial support for expenses directly related to your child’s illness. Please see website for eligibility criteria (e.g., combined gross household income).
Families should contact Love, Team Tessa through their website and detail their travel requirements. The organization is small and may not be able assist every time; however, they will provide funds directly to the family as agreed upon together.
Family Support program for families who have to travel 200km from home to access oncology treatment for the child.
Shine Through the Rain Foundation
Rainy Day Fund: Application deadline is the 15th of every month. Patients must be in active treatment. A maximum of $1,500 per family per year. Annual income must be less than $60,000. A brief medical history is required by the patient’s social worker, and copies of bills (e.g., transportation) must be submitted with the application.
James Fund for Neuroblastoma Patient Amenities: A fund to provide financial assistance to families in treatment for neuroblastoma cancer. An application for funds can be submitted through your social worker at the Hospital for Sick Children. The child must be a patient at the Hospital for Sick Children.
Application process required. Must be a Canadian citizen and qualify as low income.
Helps cover travel costs such as gas & parking costs during treatment or hospital stays and public transportation, taxi, car rental, or car service
British Columbia:
Provides travel support with specific criteria and will provide $0.20/km up to $500/year.
A note from a member of your primary oncology care team is required and original receipts.
Canadian Cancer Society Transportation Program
Travel treatment fund, BC.
Provides funding to those families living in the BC RCMP Southeast District Jurisdiction. Provide funding for expenses related to medical treatments. Grant Application submission required
Assists Northern British Columbia families with Travel expenses related to child’s medical appointments.
Childhood Cancer Family Support (CCFS)
Provides a “Family Financial Aid Program” and must be referred by your social worker
Works with: BC Children’s hospital, Surrey Memorial, and Victoria General’s Pediatric Oncology Departments.
Must be a resident o the Sunshine Coast (Langdale to Earls Cove, BC). Complete the online application and provide a letter about your situation.
Alberta:
Provide assistance with living expenses. Contact the charity directly.
Provides travel support with specific criteria and will provide $0.20/km up to $500/year.
A note from a member of your primary oncology care team is required and original receipts.
$1500 provided to the families living in Alberta, and $500 to families living out of the province with confirmation of diagnosis from the care team/Social Worker.
Helping Families Handle Cancer Foundation
Require a referral from the patient’s Social Worker at Alberta Children’s Hospital.
Funds are provided to families for costs not covered by insurance and other costs such as transportation, accommodation, and meal costs when traveling for treatment. Application is found on their website with all of the criteria.
Kev’s Kids (Grand Prairie Area)
Application form found online. All “reasonable submissions” will be considered.
Help families who are caring for a seriously ill child by paying their mortgage or rent payments. Application is found online.
Financial assistance for families in Alberta (focused in Edmonton). Will offer up to $3000.00 for family travel and expenses when traveling for the treatment depending on the distance needed to be travelled as well as the duration of the treatment. Other financial resources are available upon consultation.
Saskatchewan:
Provides travel support with specific criteria and will provide $0.20/km up to $500/year.
A note from a member of your primary oncology care team is required and original receipts.
Brayden Ottenbreit Close Cuts for Cancer
Will cover the cost of the first night's stay at the Regina Cancer Patient Lodge and the first week's stay at Ronald McDonald House in Saskatoon.
Contact the charity directly for information on financial assistance related to childhood cancer treatment.
Jim Pattison Children’s Hospital Foundation
Provides financial support for expenses to help support families with limited means in their journey so they can focus their efforts on helping their child through this difficult time. Aid in coping with day-to-day and unexpected costs of having a child stay at Jim Pattison's Hospital
Contact your social worker – they use a partnership with Air Canada to provide transportation for treatment out of province.
Ride to the Max – Motorcycle Club
Contact Jenz Wollny at 306.220.6440
Each year the charity raises about $5000.00 and gives it to families with children fighting cancer. 100% of all the money raised goes to the family. The child must be under 14 and either in active treatment or just finished treatment. Families in with lower annual incomes are typically chosen. They also pick a family that isn’t worried about meeting a bunch of bikers. 90% of the money raised comes from the Motorcycle community, a motorcycle club with heart.
TeleMiracle: Kinsmen Kinettes, Kinsmen Foundation
Families can apply directly to the charity as a fund of “last resort”.
Manitoba:
Contact the organization to determine ways they may be able to help with financial challenges associated with medical costs that are not covered by government agencies.
Contact the organization to determine ways they may be able to help with financial challenges associated with medical costs that are not covered by government agencies.
Dream family fund provides financial assistance to assist with medical bills, medical travel costs, etc. Referral form is found on the website.
Applications can be made to assist with financial challenges families face when their child faces special health needs.
Fulfilling dreams may include helping with medical expenses. Referral form found on the website.
Ontario:
Canadian Cancer Society Transportation Program
Subsidies for travel expenses incurred when parents/guardians drive their child to cancer related care when travelling 200km or more (one way). Volunteer drivers are available to take parents/guardians and patients to medical appointments related to cancer care. Public transportation assistance for the child and one return adult fare. The hospital Social Worker will help you with the registration form.
CHEO - Formerly Candlelighters
Families who travel outside of Ottawa to access care can have their out-of-pocket parking expenses reimbursed to a maximum of $25 for short-term stays but can provide monthly passes for extended stays
Family Support Services: Provide support to assist with other out-of-pocket travel expenses - gas and grocery gift cards - upon receipt of a request for support
Parking Program: Parking passes provided in the Childcan Care Package. Parking tokens provided for Windsor Regional Hospital and Kitchener Grand River Hospital. Also provided for families traveling from Windsor and area to the Hospital for Sick Children.
Family Financial Assistance Program: Application submitted by the Hospital’s Social Worker. Financial support for costs associated with treatment (e.g., medication, mortgage payments, grocery costs, travel costs, etc.).
Children under the age of 18 with cancer, diagnosed/treated at McMaster Children’s Hospital.
Provide parking passes and phone cards for newly diagnosed families who spend an extended time in hospital (+one month). Also support wish trips.
Application must be submitted through a social worker at McMaster Hospital
Katelyn Bedard Bone Marrow Association
Provide financial support to families of patients in need of a bone marrow transplant when referred from Windsor Regional Hospital and the Children’s Hospital of Western Ontario (London, Ontario). Contact your Social Worker about this program or contact information is on the website.
Northern Ontario Families of Children with Cancer (NOFCC)
Financial Assistance Program: For families where their primary residence is in Northern Ontario who must travel +100kms for treatment. A per diem of $10/day for local appointments and $20/day for out-of-town appointments. A form is filled out and signed by the pediatric oncology centre to validate.
Home FAP: A per diem to offset costs while remaining in city of residence for treatment (e.g., lost wages) when receiving treatment within 100kms of home.
Emergency Program: Funds for household expenses, travel, and personal emergency. Application is filled out by the hospital Social Worker.
Accommodation Support: Covering the costs of hotel stays when the Ronal McDonald House is not available.
Transportation Program: Reimburses Uber, taxi, bus, and subway fees
Parking program: Assistance with parking costs while receiving treatment at Heath Sciences North, CHEO, Sick Kids, or any other treatment centre
NOFCC has many other financial support programs for Northern Ontario families listed on their website.
Ontario Parents Advocating for Children with Cancer (OPACC)
Parking Reimbursement Program: A maximum of $50/12 months per family.
Pediatric Oncology Group of Ontario (POGO)
Financial assistance to families who have a primary residence in Ontario. Coverage of food costs of $7.50/day for out-patient stays and $15/day for in-patient stays. Coverage of accommodation costs of $10/night for Ronald McDonald House or $20/night for other accommodations when the Ronald McDonald House is not available.
Coverage of childcare cost up to 120 hours per year at an hourly rate of $8.00/hour.
Quebec:
Funds are provided to patients under 20 years of age who are in treatment for cancer. Criteria and application instructions are found on the website.
Initial grant is systematically distributed to all families with a newly diagnosed child. Support grant provided for the cost of travel, food, and accommodation costs associated with a bone marrow transplant. Grant provided if the cancer recurs. Monthly care access allowance provided during treatment to cover part of the travel and accommodation costs associated with therapy.
Prince Edward Island:
Referral to the program must come from the child’s oncology care team. Fuel gift cards are provided to families who must travel to receive treatment that is greater than 100kms one way and 4 or more trips in one year.
New Brunswick:
Referral to the program must come from the child’s oncology care team. Fuel gift cards are provided to families who must travel to receive treatment.
The Lions Sick Children Funding
Referral to the program must come from the child’s oncology care team. The fund will pay up to $21 a day per parent or guardian for means and reimburse other reasonable travel expenses. The child being treated for cancer must be younger than 19 years old, live in New Brunswick and treatment must be causing financial hardship for the family.
Application is found online.
Nova Scotia:
Medavie Blue Cross: Boarding, Transportation and Ostomy Program
Available to Nova Scotia families with a gross income less than $37,209/year (dual income) or $22,125/year (single income). Application must be submitted with the most recent copy of the family’s tax return. Funding for travel and accommodations for cancer patients who have to travel for treatment.
Referral to the program must come from the child’s oncology care team. Fuel gift cards are provided to families who must travel to receive treatment that is greater than 100kms one way and 4 or more trips in one year.
Instructions on how to apply for funding for medical travel are found on the FAQ section of the website. Can not be receiving MSI BTO funding (Nova Scotia). Must live 50km or more outside of St. John’s or Halifax and be in active cancer treatment
Newfoundland and Labrador:
Referral to the program must come from the child’s oncology care team. Fuel gift cards are provided to families who must travel to receive treatment that is greater than 100kms one way and 4 or more trips in one year.
Instructions on how to apply for funding for medical travel are found on the FAQ section of the website. Can not be receiving MSI BTO funding (Nova Scotia). Must live 50km or more outside of St. John’s or Halifax and be in active cancer treatment
In-kind travel donation for non-profits.
Dr. Jack Hand Legacy Foundation
Contact the organization for information about travel assistance.
Yukon, Northwest Territories, and Nunavut:
None known at this time.
Other Organizations (Not Financial Support):
Flights both national and international for end of life.
Starlight Children’s Foundation
The Donald Berman Chai Lifeline Canada
Camps for Children with Cancer