Supports for Seriously Ill Children and Their Families
See also Bereavement Support and Wish Granting Organizations
- Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation, Inc.
The goal of the Bear Necessities Pediatric Cancer Foundation's Small Miracle
Program is to support pediatric cancer patients and their families as they face
the many physical, psychological, and financial challenges that accompany the
diagnosis and treatment of pediatric cancer. The program is only for residents
of Illinois OR patients who are being treated at an Illinois facility listed on
the BN website. The program consists of two components: Doing something
special for the child, Providing supportive services for the family. Funding for
large group activities, parties and support groups does not fall under the
guidelines of the Small Miracle Program, but should be applied for under the
foundation's Information and Support Services grants
- Believe In Tomorrow Children's Foundation
Provides exceptional hospital and retreat housing services to critically ill children and their families. They have a program called Hands On Adventures that allow children to experience "once in a lifetime" opportunities.
- Brave Kids
Has a mission is to help children with chronic, life-threatening illnesses or disabilities.
- Children's Cancer Dream Network
The Foundation for Children with Cancer is a non-profit organization that
focuses on providing support for children throughout their cancer treatment and
to allow these children to experience normality in their
everyday life. The Foundation provides the many luxuries
in life that the emotional and financial troubles have kept them from enjoying. Many of these include everyday items such as a
gift card to the grocery store, to more elaborate items such as mortgage
payments and funeral expenses.
- Famous Fone Friends
An organization that provides bright moments in the lives of children who
are hospitalized or home-bound due to serious illness or injury. Celebrities
telephone these children to talk about hobbies, friends, school and other
subjects of interest. FAMOUS FONE FRIENDS can be an actor, athlete or musician –
even Mickey Mouse, Sponge Bob or Bart Simpson!
- National Association of Hospital Hospitality Houses
This association promotes and assists not-for-profit programs that provide lodging and supportive services in a caring environment for families of hospital patients and/or hospital outpatients.
- Ronald McDonald House
These Houses provide a "home-away-from-home" for the families of seriously ill children
receiving treatment at nearby hospitals.
- Starbright Foundation
This organization represents a collaboration between pediatric medicine,
entertainment and advanced technology, working together to create projects that
empower seriously ill children to combat the medical and emotional challenges that they
face on a daily basis.