Blood and Marrow Transplantation Finances

Everyone in the U.S. (check the website for availability in your area)

2-1-1 is the telephone number of a call center that offers information and provides referrals to health and human services for everyday needs and in times of crisis. Examples of service referrals include:

• Basic human need resources: food banks, clothing, shelters, rent assistance and utility assistance
• Physical and mental health resources: medical information lines, crisis intervention services, counseling, drug, and alcohol intervention
• Employment support: unemployment benefits, financial assistance, job training, transportation assistance and education programs
• Support for older adults and persons with disabilities: home healthcare, adult daycare, congregate meals, Meals on Wheels, respite care, transportation, and homemaker services
• Support for children, youth, and families: childcare, family resource centers, summer camps and recreation programs, mentoring, tutoring and protective services
   

Patients, caregivers and families before, during and after a blood or marrow transplant (BMT), healthcare professionals, researchers

To create an opportunity for all patients to receive the blood, marrow, or umbilical cord blood transplant they need; to provide free support, information and transplant-related resources 

• Be The Match, operated by the National Marrow Donor Program (NMDP), manages the largest and most diverse marrow registry in the world; conducts research to improve transplant outcomes; provides legislative advocacy to protect patient access to care; provides clinical education for healthcare professionals
• Certified oncology patient navigators and licensed social workers provide confidential, one-on-one support and reliable, easy-to-understand information from diagnosis through recovery.  Emotional support is provided through counseling and support groups as well as through connections with others who’ve been through transplant
• Helps to access financial grants and insurance resources, including Be The Match grants for transplant patients and blood cancer patients enrolling in clinical trials
• Provides personalized support to search for and join clinical trials, including the Jason Carter Clinical Trials Program. Visit www.jcctp.org or call 888-814-8610 for details
• Be The Match and Corporate Chaplains of America offers free, confidential, non-denominational virtual spiritual support services for patients and their loved ones.
   

Transplant patients, survivors and their caregivers in the U.S.

BMT InfoNet is dedicated to providing transplant patients, survivors and their loved ones with emotional support and high quality, easy-to-understand information about bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cell and cord blood transplants.

• Offers easy-to-understand information about bone marrow, peripheral blood stem cell and cord blood transplants
• Transplant Directory search tool
• Educational webcasts
• Caring Connections, a program that links people who are considering a transplant, or a family member, with others who have been through transplant and can offer support
• Counseling services to help patients understand treatment options and potential healthcare providers
• BMT InfoNet Drug Database is a guide that lists many of the drugs bone marrow, stem cell and cord blood transplants patients receive during treatment; it explains why they are used and some of the possible side effects.

• Patient Assistance Fund offers a limited amount of financial assistance for gas, food, rent or other necessities. Social workers may apply on behalf of a patient via phone or email at help@bmtinfonet.org

Children and adults with leukemia in the U.S., healthcare professionals and researchers

To support research efforts towards finding the causes and cure for leukemia.

• Patient Aid Program offers limited funds (up to $3,000 per year) to assist with certain treatments, services and prescriptions; funds are available on a first-come, first-serve basis
• Matching Dollar Program matches up to $3,000 in donations raised by the applicant, family or friends during a specific time period
• CLRA funds grants to doctors conducting promising research about leukemia.

Patients 21 and under in the U.S., who require a life-saving organ, bone marrow, cord blood or stem cell transplant

COTA strives to make the transplant journey less stressful for patients and their families.

• Offers guidance to families who undertake fundraising efforts to pay for medical expenses for a child undergoing a transplant. Provides information to the family’s community to assure them the funds raised for transplant-related expenses are raised ethically and used appropriately. Because COTA is the trustee and manager of the money raised in your community, these funds are not taxable income and do not jeopardize participation in assistance programs. Additionally, COTA offers each patient fundraising campaign a challenge grant of up to $10,000
• Staff travels to meet with patients, volunteers and transplant professionals, in addition to an in-house staff that is in regular communication with our families.

Cancer patients and their families within the 50 states, Washington D.C., Puerto Rico and U.S. territories

Dedicated to removing the financial barriers standing between a cancer patient and their treatment.

• Delivers financial education, resource navigation, and emergency relief funds to patients and caregivers facing a cancer diagnosis.
• Patient must have a cancer diagnosis; be in active treatment or have completed treatment within 1 year; receive treatment within the US, Puerto Rico or US territories; be represented by a healthcare professional from the treatment center who can confirm diagnosis and treatment information.
   

Transplant patients or those with catastrophic injury or illness

To support community-based fundraising for people with unmet medical expenses and related costs due to cell and organ transplants or catastrophic injuries and illness.

• Will help a patient develop a fundraising strategy to help with medical bills, insurance, household expenses, transportation, etc.  Call for details regarding fees related to donations.

Those in need of a stem cell transplant or anyone looking to be a bone marrow donor

To save lives by recruiting bone marrow donors and by providing support services to children and adults with leukemia and other diseases treatable by marrow transplants.

Families whose child is under the age of 21 and diagnosed with a pediatric cancer before age 18

To be a leader in childhood cancer research and advocacy while providing financial and emotional support to families whose children are battling cancer.

• Provides financial assistance for a variety of needs to pediatric cancer families while the child is undergoing treatment; social worker from treatment facility must apply on behalf of the family
• Works with funeral homes to provide assistance towards memorial costs for children whose battle with cancer has ended
• Funds pediatric cancer research.

Patients needing tissue, bone marrow or other transplants, and their loved ones, in the U.S.

To empower transplant patients to create futures with hope; to help patients and their loved ones obtain financial assistance for medical expenses.

• Offers fundraising assistance and guidance along the way
• Each patient may have a personal page on the NFT website, allowing donors to learn about the patient’s story and easily make a donation
• Provides extensive media outreach on behalf of the patient.

Families of children with cancer in the U.S.

To fund research to find cures for childhood cancers and treatment protocols; to provide financial assistance to families of children with cancer nationwide.

• Provides grants to minimize the financial hardship that is directly attributable to the child’s illness; application form and eligibility criteria available on website.

Cancer and transplant patients and families, caregivers, survivors

To improve the quality of life for cancer and transplant patients and their families by providing vital financial assistance, comprehensive resources, educational information, physician referrals, and emotional support programs.

• CancerBuddy provides a user-friendly digital experience to help people affected by cancer across the US find buddies, share experiences and resources, provide support, and build a supportive community of peers
• Clinical Care Counseling provides confidential individual and family supportive counseling, financial guidance and resource referrals for cancer, transplant patients, and family members
• Patient Navigators provide guidance and support to anyone faced with a cancer diagnosis or needing a bone marrow transplant
• Ask the Expert enables individuals to anonymously pose questions concerning transplantation and to have them answered by transplant specialists
• Lifeline Fund provides financial support to help cover the costs of donor searches, medications, home and child care services, medical equipment, transportation, cord blood banking, housing costs and other expenses associated with transplant
• Carelines provides social media tools for crowdfunding, journaling and a volunteer task calendar for anyone with a cancer diagnosis or receiving a bone marrow, stem cell or cord blood transplant 
• Your Transplant Journey Handbook provides comprehensive transplant information and resources