Support Within Reach
At Fightstrong, our guiding promise is personal: we meet every person we support. Seeing one another face-to-face keeps our work human and reminds us there’s a life and a family behind every request. Because we serve this way, our current donation reach is focused on the tri-state area. If you’re within that range, we would be honored to help—please reach out and we’ll walk alongside you.
If you’re outside our area, we still want to support your journey. Our team created the resource guide below—a curated list of trusted, shareable organizations for financial, emotional, and practical assistance. Please explore the sections, and if you’re unsure where to start, send us a note and we’ll do our best to point you in the right direction.
Beyond our service area? Find support near you.
Trusted Organizations Here to Help
Financial Assistance
Grants, co-pay and medication help, and travel/lodging support available across the U.S. Check each program’s eligibility and apply directly; many work quickly for treatment-related needs.
Nationwide
- American Cancer Society — Programs & Services — Lodging (Hope Lodge®), volunteer rides (Road to Recovery), discounted partner stays, and local resource search. Financial help: ACS Financial Resources
- B+ Foundation (Be Positive) — Financial help for families facing childhood cancer.
- Bright Spot Network — Bright Grants — Small grants for parents in treatment with young children.
- Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition (CFAC) — Searchable hub of financial aid programs.
- CancerCare — Co-Payment Assistance Foundation — Co-pay help; oncology social workers connect you to added resources.
- CancerCare — Financial Assistance — Limited grants (transportation, child care, non-medical needs).
- Family Reach — Financial navigation plus emergency grants for families.
- Good Days — Co-pay and medication assistance.
- HealthWell Foundation — Assistance for co-pays, premiums, deductibles via disease-specific funds.
- Lazarex Cancer Foundation — Travel and lodging help for clinical trials.
- Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) — Patient Financial Assistance — Co-pay assistance, one-time stipends, and emergency support.
- Medicine Assistance Tool (MAT) — Matches patients with prescription cost-sharing/manufacturer assistance.
- Morgan Adams Foundation — Emergency Financial Assistance — Emergency grants for pediatric families.
- National Children’s Cancer Society (NCCS) — Travel and treatment-related aid for pediatric patients.
- National Organization for Rare Disorders (NORD) — Co-pay and financial support for rare diseases.
- NeedyMeds — Directory of drug assistance programs and cost-saving resources.
- NetWish — Micro-grants for urgent individual/family needs.
- Patient Advocate Foundation — Co-Pay Relief & Resource Finder — Co-pay assistance; see PAF’s state-by-state directory of aid (Resource Finder).
- Pinky Swear Foundation — Support for kids with cancer and their families.
- The Assistance Fund (TAF) — Co-pay and insurance assistance funds.
- The Samfund (Expect Miracles Foundation) — Grants for young adult cancer survivors.
- This Star Won’t Go Out — Grants for families with a child in treatment.
- United Way / 211 — Connects you to local help for housing, utilities, food, transportation, and more.
tri-State / Local (NJ • NY • PA)
- Bringing Hope Home — One-time grants for families in PA/NJ/DE.
- Charles Thide Foundation (Long Island, NY) — One-time grants for everyday expenses.
- Fighting Children’s Cancer Foundation (NJ) — Family assistance for pediatric cancer.
- For Pete’s Sake (PA) — Respite trips; limited financial support options.
- Friends of Karen (NY/NJ/CT) — Support for children with cancer and their families.
- Hugs for Brady Foundation (NJ) — Support for kids with cancer and their families.
- Mary’s Place by the Sea (NJ) — Free retreats for women (support/relief; not medical).
- Mondays at Racine (Long Island, NY) — No-cost salon/spa services during treatment.
- New York Cancer Foundation (NY) — Grants for non-medical living expenses.
- The Valerie Fund (NJ/NY) — Comprehensive support for pediatric patients and families.
- Thomas Miloscia Foundation (Long Island, NY) — One-time grants for families in active treatment.
Practical Support
Hands-on help that makes treatment doable—rides to care, free or discounted lodging near hospitals, house cleaning, pet support, and more day-to-day essentials.
Transportation, Lodging, Everyday Help
- American Cancer Society — Hope Lodge — Free lodging during treatment in many cities.
- American Cancer Society — Road To Recovery — Rides to and from treatment (where available).
- Angel Flight (regional networks) — Free volunteer air transportation to treatment.
- CancerCare — Pet Assistance & Wellness (PAW) — Help with pet care costs during treatment.
- Cleaning for a Reason — Free house cleaning for people in active treatment.
- Fisher House Foundation — Free lodging for military/veteran families near VA/DoD hospitals.
- Joe’s House — Nationwide lodging directory near hospitals/cancer centers.
- Mercy Medical Angels — Free ground and air transportation for medical care.
- Ronald McDonald House Charities — Lodging and support for pediatric patients and families.
Therapy & Peer Support
Free counseling, support groups, and one-on-one peer mentors for patients and caregivers. When the road feels heavy, these communities walk with you
Counseling & Peer Organizations
- 4th Angel Mentoring Program — One-on-one peer mentors (patients & caregivers).
- Cancer Support Community / Gilda’s Club — Free groups, programs, and navigation (nationwide network).
- CancerCare — Free counseling and support groups (virtual & local).
- Imerman Angels — One-on-one peer matches by age, diagnosis, and more.
- Stupid Cancer — Programs and community for adolescents & young adults (AYA).
- Young Survival Coalition — Community and resources for young adults with breast cancer.
Fertility Preservation
Programs that reduce the cost of preserving fertility before treatment—grants, clinic partnerships, and medication assistance. Timing matters; explore these early.
Fertility Assistance Programs
- Chick Mission — Grants and clinic partnerships for fertility preservation.
- LIVESTRONG Fertility — Discounted services and medications.
- Team Maggie’s Dream — Fertility preservation grants paid to your clinic.
- Walgreens — Heartbeat Program — Free/discounted select fertility meds for qualifying patients.
- Worth the Wait — Grants toward fertility treatment; limited support for adoption/surrogacy.
Respite, Camps & Retreats
Restorative getaways and retreats for patients, survivors, and families. Recharge together through nature, wellness, and peer connection.
Retreat & Camp Programs
- Breathe Now — Dear Jack Foundation — Wellness retreats for YA survivors and partners.
- Camp Good Days — Adult Oncology (NY) — Free regional retreats (by diagnosis/group).
- Camp Mak-A-Dream — Women’s Retreats — Montana-based healing retreats.
- First Descents — Free adventure programs for young adults impacted by cancer.
- For Pete’s Sake — Respite vacations for families in treatment/recently finished.
- Mary’s Place by the Sea (NJ) — Free weekend retreats for women with cancer.
- Project Koru — Camp Koru — Peer-led outdoor retreats for YA survivors.
- Reel Recovery (Men) — Free fly-fishing retreats for men living with cancer.
Legal & Employment
Know your rights at work and with insurance. Get guidance on FMLA, disability, appeals, job protections, and free/low-cost legal help by state.
Work & Legal Resources
- Cancer Legal Resource Center (DRLC) — Free information on work, insurance, disability rights, and more.
- Legal Services Corporation — Find Legal Aid — Search for free/low-cost legal help by state.
- Patient Advocate Foundation — Case management for insurance denials, job protections, and access issues.
- Triage Cancer — Practical/legal education on employment, insurance, finances, and rights.
Clinical Trials & Treatment Information
Trusted, evidence-based tools to understand options and find clinical trials—plus live help to navigate decisions with confidence.
Trial Matchers & Treatment Info
- ASCO — Cancer.Net — Expert, trusted treatment information for patients.
- ClinicalTrials.gov — Official U.S. registry and results database of clinical trials.
- EmergingMed — Trial Navigator — Trial matching and navigation support.
- NCI — Cancer Information Service — Live help from National Cancer Institute.
- NCI — Clinical Trials Search — NCI-supported trials and guides.
- NCCN Guidelines for Patients — Evidence-based treatment guides by cancer type.
- OncoLink — Education, side-effect tools, and survivorship plans.
Navigation & Education
Big, reputable hubs for cancer information, helplines, and referrals. Start here if you’re unsure which path fits your situation.
Info Hubs & Helplines
- American Cancer Society — Programs, services, and educational resources.
- Cancer Support Community — Free programs, helpline, and education.
- National Cancer Institute — Research-based information for patients and caregivers.