More than 40 local chapters, or Affiliates across the country, provide direct support to the patients and families through hospital and community based programs.
How do Affiliates Help?
Local Candlelighters groups provide direct support to families of childhood cancer patients. The people who run all of these affiliates have a strong desire to reach out and help childhood cancer families. Often they are organized and run by parents or relatives of children who had cancer. We like to think of these parents as the "alumni" who have stayed around to help the next generation of families through the childhood cancer ordeal. They are knowledgeable not only in treatment issues, but in what families need, sometimes even before they know that they need it. Examples of services provided by the gamut of affiliates are:
- Diagnosis bags for newly diagnosed families. (Who thought to bring shampoo and toothpaste when they left home to go to the hospital with their child?)
- A patient library of childhood cancer reference books.
- Organize the distribution of Hero Beads.
- Emergency financial assistance for rent or mortgage payments, car repairs, transportation, pre-paid gas cards, groceries, parking, and more.
- Work with the hospital staff to provide extra conveniences for parents.
- Day and sleepover childhood cancer camps.
- Social events for the children and young adults, for instance, one affiliate has a Dream Prom.
How to Find a Local Affiliate
Click here to find your local CCCF affiliate in your state.