The National Children’s Cancer Society (NCCS) released a new whitepaper titled “The Economic Impact of Childhood Cancer.” The publication identifies and explains the financial effects a childhood cancer diagnosis can have on a family and explores possible solutions for alleviating economic hardship.
The average cost associated with childhood cancer treatment is a staggering $833,000. The NCCS article examines ways these costs make it a struggle for families to meet basic needs while trying to get their child to lifesaving treatment. The publication also looks at how economic hardship can increase the likelihood of cancer returning and how battling childhood cancer can shift the economic course of a family’s future.
To ensure children get the treatment they need while also help families facing the challenges of cancer, the NCCS discusses models for care that integrate methods to relieve poverty concerns.
The article also makes it clear there is not an easy answer or a quick fix, but there is hope in research, plans being formulated to better address the issue and financial assistance available through programs such as those at the NCCS.
“You would be surprised what cancer brings into a family financially. You don’t just have your doctors and your chemo, you have all your other medicine on top of it. We have insurance…and still, it’s outrageous. There was a time that if I didn’t have NCCS money, I wouldn’t have had food while I was at the hospital for 28 days,” said the mother of Keegan, who was diagnosed with leukemia.