Financial Assistance

When parents are still reeling from their child’s cancer diagnosis, they must also deal with unexpected expenses, such as travel costs, accommodations, etc. As well, the illness takes over the family routine with the many hospital visits, among other things. Too often, one of the parents has to quit working, which reduces the family income.

Consequently, Leucan and its regional teams offer financial assistance to help reduce the financial burden caused by the illness to help the entire family cope with unexpected expenses. This financial assistance serves to help families meet their day-to-day needs, but it unfortunately can’t offset the loss of family income. It consists of funds and several allowances to help support families through each phase of the illness.

• As soon as the diagnosis is made, Leucan financially supports families by awarding automatically and without distinction an initial grant to all families whose children are members residing in Quebec.
• During the treatment protocol, the child’s parents or tutors receive a monthly care access allowance to help cover travel and accommodation costs, among other things.
• If a bone marrow transplant is required by the treatment protocol, hospitalization will be necessary and incur additional travel, accommodation, and eating costs, etc. Hence, Leucan automatically awards a support grant for a bone-marrow transplant to help cover the costs of the family whose child is a member.
• Families facing a tougher financial situation may be eligible for funding from the Fonds de dépannage Koumy-Simard to cover necessary expenses (ex. living expenses).
• When a child faces a recurrence and must resume treatment, the family will again be faced with more travel and accommodation costs, etc. Leucan will then offer them a recurrence grant.
• To offset specific urgent requests that Leucan’s regular services can’t respond to (ex. tuition fees), the Simple Plan Fund consists of a discretionary fund administered by the Simple Plan Foundation dedicated to children and teens with cancer, their brothers and sisters, as well as bereaved siblings.
• At the time of death, the Fonds Julie-Gravel supports families who don’t have life insurance (or very little) by helping them cover the costs associated with their child’s funeral.
• When the child is cured, Leucan continues to financially support families through the Fée des étoiles Support Program, created by the Fondation Édouard et ses étoiles in partnership with Leucan. This program is geared towards young patients with pediatric cancer who suffer from sequelae caused by treatment. Funds are available depending on availability, and a selection committee screens applications twice a year.
• Leucan is also present in its young members’ schools, for example through its school life services and the Prix Jocelyn-Demers, a $1,000 scholarship awarded annually to support the postsecondary education of a young Leucan member selected in a contest. Naomie Léonard, 16 years old, from Montérégie, received on September 2009 the Jocelyn-Demers Award. To read the touching essay she presented (in French only), click here.

Please contact us for more information on financial assistance provided by Leucan.