Leukemia ResourcesMy goal through this site is to help you in any way that I can. I have found several leukemia resources that may be helpful to you. Financial Assistance I know that financial assistance is one area that many people affected by leukemia need help with. The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society offers a Patient Financial Aid Program to help with some medicines, transportation and procedures. However, this program is only available to residents of the United States or its territories and U.S. military personnel stationed abroad. You can find out more information about this program and their Co-Pay Assistance Program on their website www.leukemia-lymphoma.org. Supplemental Security Income (SSI) provides cash for food, clothing and shelter. SSI is available for aged, blind and disabled people with little or no income. For more information visit the Social Security Administration website or your local SSA office. The National Marrow Donor Program® (NMDP) has a Patient Assistance Program that helps patients pay for searching the NMDP Registry and/or some post-transplant costs. Visit their site for more information at www.marrow.org NeedyMeds is a nonprofit organization and their mission is to help people who cannot afford medicine and healthcare costs. NeedyMeds is an information source to find assistance programs and other available resources. They do not supply medications or financial assistance. In many countries there are cancer information services available to provide cancer information and answer questions. They may also be able to assist you in finding financial assistance. The International Cancer Information Service Group (ICISG) provides a list of these cancer information services and you can access it at www.icisg.org/meet_memberslist.htm
Lack of health insurance or the inability to cover co-pays may be a problem as well. There are programs that can help with this. Sometimes it can be difficult to get health insurance and there are health insurance alternatives available. Medicare is a Federal health insurance program for individuals who are 65 or older, people of any age with permanent kidney failure, and disabled people under age 65. Medicare pays for hospital care, home health care, hospice care, and care in Medicare-certified nursing facilities. It also covers medically necessary services, physicians' services, durable home medical equipment, ambulance transportation and screening exams for several types of cancer. To get more information on eligibility and coverage you can either go to the Medicare website or call 1–800–633–4227 (1–800–MEDICARE). Insure Kids Now is a health insurance program for children in working families. Each state has different eligibility rules, but in most states, uninsured children whose family makes up to $34,100 per year are eligible. You can get more information by calling 1–877–543–7669 (1–877–KIDS–NOW) or visiting their website at http://www.insurekidsnow.gov
A book that I have found very helpful since Kaden's leukemia diagnosis is Childhood Leukemia - A Guide for Families, Friends and Caregivers. Kaden's pediatric oncologist gave us this book while Kaden was in the hospital after his diagnosis. I have used this book as a reference many times to look up the effects of different chemo drugs and to learn more about the disease. I really like the parent stories and suggestions in the book. There have been times that Kaden experienced a certain side effect that wasn't mentioned but when I read the parent story that followed I found that their child had the same side effect from the drug. I think you will find this book a very useful resource if your child has been diagnosed with leukemia. It contains information about the disease itself, chemo drugs, coping with procedures, clinical trials, nutrition and more. CarePages A CarePage is a free website you can create to receive emotional support and stay connected with family and friends during a health challenge. You can post pictures and updates and receive messages of support from family and friends. You can also connect with other people who have leukemia and read their CarePage and receive the updates that they post. You can create your own CarePage at www.carepages.com.
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