No one is prepared for the words “you have cancer” and just receiving this diagnosis can be a life-changing experience. In the days following, patients may find navigating the roads to treatment and payment quite daunting. Many times the financial stress cancer patients experience can be just as painful as the physical or emotional pain of the disease.

Cancer Patient Assistance Fund

What may come as a surprise to many cancer patients are the treatment side effects. And, discovering that many of the medicines for side effects may have to be paid for out of the patient’s pocket. That’s where Scotland Cancer Treatment Center’s Patient Assistance Fund may provide assistance. Supported by Scotland Memorial Foundation and donations from staff, former patients, and patients’ families, the Fund provides assistance to cancer patients for the purchase of medicines and personal items needed to help alleviate the side effects of treatment. Some patients even receive financial assistance for transportation to and from the Cancer Center.

The Patient Assistance Fund provided limited financial assistance to cancer patients for several years but didn’t have significant backing until Scotland Memorial Foundation provided them with $20,000 from the proceeds of their Health and Fitness Festival held earlier this year. “I’ve seen the Cancer Patient Assistance Fund in action,” said Steve Wallace, Foundation Executive Director. “The Cancer Center physicians and staff are doing remarkable work and are very good stewards of the fund. It’s a great feeling to know that so many people can be helped with money raised through our Foundation and our fundraising efforts.”

Fund benefits patients

The Cancer Patient Assistance Fund will also benefit from the Foundation’s annual fall black tie fundraiser, Putting on the Ritz-A Gala of Giving. Each year a portion of the proceeds is designated for the Cancer Patient Assistance Fund. Wallace continued, “This year’s Ritz on November 7 will be the biggest fundraiser in our Foundation’s history, which means that we can help the Patient Assistance Fund in an even more meaningful way. The Cancer Center can then help more patients purchase medications and other needed items due to their disease.”

Pam Ard’s father, Carnell Hatcher, is one such patient who received assistance this year to purchase medications. Though Mr. Hatcher passed away in February, Pam talks highly of the Cancer Center’s staff, their assistance, and their kindness. “A small blood clot was found when daddy started chemotherapy so Dr. Raybon prescribed blood thinner medicine. My daddy didn’t know much about financial matters because my mother had always taken care of that before she passed away. Daddy was just getting used to living on one Social Security check and had reached his Medicare limit on his medicines until the next year. We were quite surprised to find out that a one-month supply of the blood thinner was over $1,000.”

Pam was blown away when told that there was a fund to help purchase her father’s medicine. “The Cancer Center worked with the drugstore and paid over $200 each time he needed his medicine. We were so thankful. Daddy was so afraid when he first went to Scotland Cancer Treatment Center but everyone there made him so comfortable – from the doctors to the front office staff. It’s a wonderful thing to have a treatment center so close to my dad’s house, and the association with Duke Oncology is an added benefit. We were very pleased with everything about daddy’s care.”

Hope and help

Sandy Williams, RN, radiation therapy nurse, says she sees firsthand how the Patient Assistance Fund provides hope and help to their patients. “It’s such a relief for our patients to receive financial help. We’ve always tried to be really good stewards of the funds in our Patient Assistance Fund and now that the Foundation is helping us in an even greater way, we can help so many more patients. When patients come to us with a prescription they can’t pay for it, that’s when we’re able to say, ‘We have a program to help you.’”

Radiation therapy destroys both cancerous and healthy cells. “Patients with head and neck cancers may experience sores or blisters in their throat from the treatment,” continued Mrs. Williams. “Dr. Helms, our radiation oncologist, often prescribes a compounded preparation to ease their symptoms. It often takes four, five or even more, bottles of this mixture during treatment, which unfortunately, are not covered by most insurance plans and over the course of treatment, can be quite expensive. This fund enables us to help patients with the purchase of this prescription.”

Lung, head & neck, and breast cancer patients may also experience changes to the skin, resulting in burning and itching. Thankfully, a compounded cream is available to numb the skin topically while soothing the itching. “Here again, because this cream is compounded by the pharmacist, many insurance companies and Medicaid and Medicare won’t cover it,” continued Mrs. Williams. “Our patients may use a lot of the cream during therapy. It is so gratifying to know that we are able to help those patients who are unable to pay for this soothing cream.”

Healthy teeth and gums

Prior to starting treatment, a visit to a dentist may be scheduled to ensure the teeth and gums are healthy. “Many of our patients have no dental insurance and no means to pay out of pocket for the fluoride trays prescribed by the dentist to keep the mouth healthy,” commented Mrs. Williams. “The Patient Assistance Fund is there to help so they can get started on treatment as quickly as possible. Several of our local dentists have partnered with us to offer this service at a discounted rate to our patients.”

New glasses

Mary Callahan-Lopez, the Cancer Center’s social worker, assists patients with the application process for the Patient Assistance Fund. Recently, Joseph Johnson returned to the Cancer Center for a check up – proudly sporting his new glasses purchased through the Patient Assistance Fund.

“For 40 days Mr. Johnson made daily visits to the Cancer Center, along with his daughter, Josephine Johnson,” commented Mrs. Callahan-Lopez. “His glasses were very old and one lense was broken. When we see a need as obvious as this, we are ready to step in and provide assistance. “

“When Mrs. Callahan asked me if they could buy me some glasses I had to shake her hand and thank her for that blessing,” said Mr. Johnson. “I was so proud to get my new glasses. They also helped me buy some medicine I needed. These are some of the nicest people I have ever met. I couldn’t have been treated any better anywhere. I was also blessed that my daughter Josephine Jones was able to pick me up in Bennettsville and bring me to Laurinburg. Without her I don’t know how I would have gotten here for my treatment.” Ms. Johnson also received assistance from the American Cancer Society to help pay for transporting her father to and from Bennettsville.

Weight Loss

Good nutrition is vitally important during treatment and the staff at Scotland Cancer Treatment Center works hard to ensure that their patients don’t lose weight during treatment by providing nutritional support. If their nutritional status is good, the treatment is more effective. “Weight loss can cause delays in their treatments. We have some patients whose only source of nutrition are supplements such as Boost and Ensure. If necessary, we can provide supplements such as these to our patients.“

Your assistance needed

Each cancer patient is unique; each need is unique. One patient may need pain medication, another nutritional supplements, another, as in the case of Joseph Johnson, eyeglasses. When it comes to cancer treatment, and the treatment of their patients, the Cancer Center staff is ready to step in and help meet their patients’ needs. You can too. In the coming weeks you’ll see and hear information about Putting on the Ritz – A Gala of Giving. We want you to think of this event as the opportunity to raise money to assist more patients, more Joseph Johnson’s and Carnell Hatcher’s. Consider supporting the Ritz with your donation to Putting on the Ritz or to the Cancer Patient Assistance Fund. Contact Scotland Memorial Foundation at 910-291-7553 to learn how. Visit the Foundation page at scotlandhealth.org and click on the link to Supporting Scotland Cancer Treatment Center.