What We Do
We pay everyday bills of families fighting childhood cancer ASAP.
The data tells us that:
Over 95% of families with a child battling cancer will experience some level of financial hardships.
The financial burden hits hard and fast
Within the first 6 months of chemotherapy, 30% of families report trouble affording food, housing, or other necessities.
Source: National Children’s Cancer Society, Economic Impact of Childhood Cancer, 2018.
Work and income will be impacted
1 in 3 families experience work disruption serious enough to require a job change or leaving work altogether. Some two-income households will decrease to one-income households.
1 in 4 families lose more than 40% of their household income.
For these families, life will be turned upside down in every way.
As if diagnosis and treatment weren’t difficult enough, these families’ everyday bills won’t stop when the fight against childhood cancer begins.
The average cost of these bills for a family are:
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$153/ mo.
Auto insurance
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$634/ mo.
Auto loan payment
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$1,584/ mo.
Housing
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$75/ mo.
Internet / Cable
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$160/ mo.
Phone
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$199/ mo.
Utilities bill, including electric, water, sewer, trash
But there’s Hope to ease their burden.
Through Lanterns of Hope, families can request up to $4,000 per year in assistance.
Families can request up to $2,000 every six months to cover bills and other expenses while their child undergoes treatment. These support funds are delivered directly to the families within 48 hours.
How Our Services Work
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You Support Lanterns of Hope
You understand the burden of families fighting childhood cancer and want to make a direct difference with your dollars, either as an individual or organization
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Family Receives Diagnosis
Family gets the diagnosis and starts treatment at Children's Hospital Omaha or Nebraska Medicine
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Social Workers help Families fill out Application
Family is assigned a social worker who helps them fill out our straightforward, no-nonsense application
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Support Delivered to Families
We receive and approve the request within 48 hours. Lanterns of Hope pays the submitted bills directly to vendors ASAP.
We also help fund summer camp at Camp Quality and Camp CoHoLo for children fighting cancer
Camp Quality is a summer camping experience and year round support program for 70-80 children with cancer. Camp CoHoLo is an acronym for Courage, Hope and Love. This summer camp hosts 140-160 children with cancer and blood disorders.
