No one needs to be reminded that the last couple of years have been an economic rollercoaster for American families.  Even those who have been lucky enough to hold on to jobs, homes and dreams for the future, feel the cloud of anxiety hovering from time to time.

When an adult receives a cancer diagnosis, not only are dreams threatened–often their everyday financial security becomes precarious.  Lost work time for the patient and the caregiver can threaten the very livelihood of a family.  Some people are fortunate–their employers are willing to accommodate erratic work schedules, extended time off and lost productivity.  Others like Mary and John are less lucky:  On the same day that Mary was diagnosed with cancer, her husband John received a letter that his position of 26 years was elminated, effective immediately.  He would receive no severance and his health insurance was terminated one day later.  In a single day, their hopes and dreams for themselves and their three children were shattered.  Within just a few weeks, this family was seeking support from Angel Foundation to help them make their mortgage payment.

We often talk about the value of a $25, $100 or $1,000 gift and the positive impact it can have on a family with an adult cancer diagnosis.  Gifts of all sizes make a difference–$250 can support a child who has a parent with cancer attend Kids Kamp; $500 can help a family make a mortgage or rent payment and a $50 Holiday Station gas card can help another pay for gas to get to daily radiation treatments. 

There is no disputing the measurable impact of financial contributions to Angel Foundation.  But not everything can be measured.  A cancer diagnosis is an extremely isolating experience.  That’s hard to understand when the statistics show that more than one in three people will be diagnosed with cancer at some point in their life. 

When an adult living with the uncertainty of the cancer diagnosis receives financial support from Angel Foundation it shows them that there are people in this community that care.  Just when they think they are alone and have lost much control over their life, they receive financial assistance, a financial gift, from Angel Foundation.  They are often amazed that this support comes to them from people they don’t know and people they will never know.  The staff of Angel Foundation are lucky–we get the thank you calls and read the daily thank you notes that financial assistance recipients send, grateful that complete strangers care and understand the financial struggles of cancer.

“Dear Angel Foundation,

Our family thanks you so much for the grant to assist us with our rent.  During this difficult time, we found so much comfort in knowing there are people out there that truly care about what we are going through.  Now we really believe in angels. Thank you so much.”

Never doubt that your gift, no matter the size, makes a difference in the life of a family.