Organizations That Care: Finding Financial Help During Cancer Treatment

From prescription assistance to transportation, medical expenses, and everyday necessities, these organizations help patients and families find support when they need it most.

A cancer diagnosis can change nearly every part of a person's life, including their finances. Along with medical bills and treatment costs come expenses that are easy to overlook: transportation to appointments, childcare, medications, groceries, and household bills that continue regardless of a diagnosis.

For many families, the financial effects of cancer extend long after treatment begins. Reduced working hours, lost income, and unexpected expenses can make an already difficult experience even harder.

Fortunately, there are organizations dedicated to helping patients and their families navigate these challenges. Some provide direct financial assistance. Others help with prescriptions, transportation, medical supplies, insurance questions, or finding services closer to home.

Originally featured in RoseRed Magazine's first volume, this updated resource guide highlights organizations that can help.

Financial Assistance for Cancer Patients

CancerCare

CancerCare provides limited financial assistance for eligible people undergoing cancer treatment, including support for transportation, home care, childcare, and certain treatment-related expenses. Its oncology social workers can also help patients identify additional financial resources.

Visit CancerCare or call 800-813-4673.

Patient Advocate Foundation

The Patient Advocate Foundation provides case management assistance to people navigating medical bills, insurance denials, employment concerns, and barriers to treatment.

In 2026, Patient Advocate Foundation and PAN Foundation combined their financial assistance programs under TotalAssist, which offers assistance for eligible healthcare expenses through disease-specific funds.

Visit Patient Advocate Foundation or TotalAssist.

American Breast Cancer Foundation

The American Breast Cancer Foundation helps underserved and uninsured individuals access breast cancer screenings and diagnostic services. Its Breast Cancer Assistance Program can help eligible applicants pay for mammograms and other qualifying breast-health tests.

Visit ABCF.

Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition

The Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition connects people with organizations offering practical and financial support. Its searchable database helps patients find assistance based on their diagnosis, location, and specific needs, including transportation, housing, prescriptions, and medical equipment.

Visit Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition.

American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society helps patients and caregivers connect with information and support programs. Depending on availability and eligibility, resources may include transportation to treatment, lodging assistance, and referrals to local organizations.

Visit American Cancer Society or call 800-227-2345, available 24 hours a day.

Louisiana Organizations Offering Assistance

Cancer Association of Louisiana

Formerly known as the Cancer Association of Greater New Orleans, this organization helps Louisiana cancer patients overcome practical barriers to care.

Its assistance has included transportation support, gas cards, nutritional supplements, meals, and medical supplies. Services have historically focused on the Greater New Orleans and Baton Rouge areas, with efforts to expand statewide.

Patients should confirm current geographic eligibility and assistance availability directly with the organization.

Lydia Cancer Association

Serving patients undergoing cancer treatment in Iberia, St. Mary, St. Martin, and Vermilion parishes, the Lydia Cancer Association provides limited financial assistance for prescriptions, medical expenses, utilities, and food.

Visit Lydia Cancer Association.

Cenla Medication Access Program

Louisiana's Cenla Medication Access Program, or CMAP, helps eligible residents obtain free or low-cost prescriptions. Its medication assistance services extend statewide, while certain screening programs focus on Central Louisiana.

Visit CMAP or call 888-443-7494.

Louisiana Medicaid

Louisiana Medicaid provides health coverage to qualifying residents and may help cover medical appointments, treatment, and medications. Some people who need treatment for breast or cervical cancer may qualify under specific coverage categories.

Visit Louisiana Medicaid or call 888-342-6207.

Community Christian Concern

Based in Slidell, Community Christian Concern helps qualifying residents experiencing financial hardship with food, clothing, personal necessities, referrals, and applications for other assistance programs.

Visit Community Christian Concern.

DEMCO Foundation

The DEMCO Foundation provides assistance to eligible electric cooperative members experiencing hardship. Qualifying requests may include housing expenses, medications, and certain emergency needs.

Assistance is restricted to eligible DEMCO members and does not include utility bill payments.

Visit DEMCO Foundation.

Help With Prescriptions and Treatment Expenses

NeedyMeds

NeedyMeds maintains information about prescription assistance programs, drug discounts, affordable clinics, and other healthcare resources. Patients can search for programs that may lower the cost of their medications.

Visit NeedyMeds.

RxAssist

RxAssist provides a directory of pharmaceutical patient assistance programs, including programs that may provide free or reduced-cost medications to eligible individuals.

Visit RxAssist.

HairToStay

For patients receiving chemotherapy, concerns about hair loss can add another layer of emotional and financial stress.

HairToStay offers need-based subsidies to help qualifying patients afford scalp cooling systems, which may reduce chemotherapy-related hair loss.

Visit HairToStay.

Support for Families and Young Adults

SAMFund for Young Adult Cancer Survivors

Operated by Expect Miracles Foundation, SAMFund offers financial assistance and family-building grants for eligible cancer survivors ages 21 to 39.

Depending on the grant, assistance may support housing, transportation-related expenses, education, fertility preservation, and other qualified needs.

These grants generally focus on survivorship, and eligibility depends on treatment status and the application cycle.

Visit SAMFund.

The COC

Formerly known as Christians Overcoming Cancer, The COC assists people undergoing active cancer treatment with emotional support and financial relief.

Its assistance program seeks to help with urgent financial needs, including preventing evictions, utility disconnections, and vehicle repossessions. Financial assistance depends on available funding.

Visit The COC.

Mommy and Me Cancer Foundation

The Mommy and Me Cancer Foundation was created to support mothers raising minor children while facing cancer.

Although the organization no longer provides direct financial grants, it continues to maintain resources for mothers and families navigating a cancer diagnosis.

Visit Mommy and Me Cancer Foundation.

Understanding Your Financial Options

Triage Cancer

Triage Cancer provides free educational resources addressing the financial and legal challenges of cancer.

Its Cancer Finances toolkit helps patients and caregivers explore medical bills, insurance, employment rights, disability benefits, and financial assistance options.

The organization offers education and navigation rather than direct financial grants.

Visit Triage Cancer.

Finding the Right Help

Not every program serves every patient, and financial assistance can depend on diagnosis, location, household income, treatment status, and available funding.

A good place to begin is with a hospital social worker or patient navigator. These professionals can help identify programs that fit a patient's circumstances, gather required documentation, and connect families with local services.

Readers can also contact the American Cancer Society at 800-227-2345 for assistance locating support.

Cancer treatment can be overwhelming, but understanding the assistance available can make a meaningful difference. Whether it is help covering a prescription, getting to an appointment, or keeping food on the table, these services can provide practical support to patients and families.

RoseRed Magazine believes that awareness should lead to access. Sharing these resources is one more way to help connect women and families with the organizations working to support them.

Editor's note: This article updates a resource guide originally published in RoseRed Magazine Volume One. Program eligibility, funding, and availability may change. Readers should contact each organization directly for current details.