Assistance

 

Cancer presents financial challenges. CRC patient navigators can help you connect with resources to help.

Modest funds are available to help our clients overcome barriers to care. We strive to meet emergency needs and work with other local agencies and partners to ensure that cancer care is accessible to everyone.

Transportation

Thanks to a USDA Emergency Rural Healthcare Grant and matching funds from the Mendocino Coast Healthcare Foundation, CRC was able to purchase a hybrid vehicle for client transportation to and from our coastal office. A cancer patient who lives on the Mendocino Coast might face up to 5,000 miles on the road to receive a full course of radiation treatments in Ukiah.  Local cancer patients who receive care in the Bay Area or at UC Davis face even more driving, bridge tolls, and likely the cost of overnight lodging.  Transportation is one of the most common and challenging barriers to cancer care in our rural county, but having an agency vehicle has been a huge step forward in enabling us to provide transportation services to cancer patients. Rides to appointments are made possible by our amazing volunteer drivers. Although we make every attempt to provide rides to our clients, we do not always have drivers to accommodate all trips. We will always work to connect clients to services and resources for which they are eligible, to help them get where they need to go. 

For cancer patients with friends or neighbors who might be willing to help with the driving, CRC patient navigators can help make those arrangements, or even ask on behalf of the patient, if the person is willing to provide rides.  We can offer mileage reimbursement or gas cards to offset costs where there is financial need. 

How to get help

The first step is to reach out to a patient navigator and establish services with CRC.  All of our assistance is completely free of charge.  Ukiah office:  707-467-3828. Fort Bragg office:  707-937-3833

respite from the road

In cooperation with the Community Foundation’s Foster Fund, CRC works with patients who are undergoing treatment away from their hometown to help them access transportation and lodging services. We understand the financial burden placed on families who need to travel to access critical medical services. We can help ease the burden.

Sigma Theta Psi Breast fund

Thanks to the generous philanthropic contribution from CRC’s Bilingual Patient Navigator Mayte Sanchez’ sorority, Sigma Theta Psi, financial help and gas cards are now available for inland breast cancer clients, providing essential support to those in need.

Spirit House End of life coastal fund

Thanks to Spirit House Center for Attitudinal Healing some financial assistance is available for coastal clients who have modest needs related to end of life care.

grace us angel fund

Thanks to the help of the Grace US Foundation, modest needs essential to human dignity and comfort can be met. These include lodging, first aid and comfort items, nutritional supplements, help with utilities and medical co-payments.

breast cancer assistance fund

A local fundraising effort recently provided us with financial assistance specifically for breast cancer clients. We can help with bras, prostheses, incidental costs such as co-pays and first aid items and post-surgical garments.

Research and referrals to disease-specific foundations and other sources of financial help

Help with medical bills and other costs related to coping with a cancer diagnosis is available from some national and regional foundations. CRC navigators can research what outside sources of help may be available.