Carla Tardif: Children with cancer from low-income households are three times more likely to die and two times more likely to relapse than their counterparts

Carla Tardif shared a post on LinkedIn, about recent article published on her LinkedIn:

”Parents of a child with cancer face impossible decisions — do they stay by their child’s side through treatment or go to work to cover everyday bills? According to Dr. Kira Bona, children with cancer from low-income households are 3x more likely to die and 2x more likely to relapse than their counterparts.

With 28 years of eliminating barriers to cancer care and enhancing survival rates, Family Reach stands at the forefront of addressing this national crisis. Our commitment is unwavering, but the journey is far from over. By uniting our resources, expertise, and compassion, we can transform challenges into opportunities for hope and healing.”

Quoting Carla Tardif’s article:

”Children with cancer from low-income households are three times more likely to die and two times more likely to relapse than their counterparts.

In 2013, Colleen, a single mother, woke up to a stack of dollar bills and a note, written in a child’s unmistakable block print, on her bedside table. It read: ‘You need this more than I do.’

It was from Colleen’s daughter, Camille. Just 10 years old, Camille was facing osteosarcoma, a form of bone cancer that thrust the family into a world of surgeries, chemotherapy, and debt.

‘I was told by the social worker that one parent needs to give up their job,’ shared Colleen. ‘In my situation, I was the only income for my household. There were times when I had to make decisions — do I pay the electric bill or go grocery shopping?’

Children’s lives on the line

Camille’s story is not unique. Approximately half of the people Family Reach supports are children, adolescents, or young adults with cancer. More than ⅔ of these families face transportation insecurity, and over half are at risk of houselessness.

‘We see families with one car trying to juggle daily hospital appointments, daycare drop-offs, and the jobs they need to pay the bills,’ shared Jackie Hess, Director of Programs at Family Reach. ‘Many also travel out of state to access care for their child and must pay for lodging near the hospital as well as their regular rent or mortgage.’

These daily challenges are more than an inconvenience — they are a matter of life and death. According to research conducted by Dr. Kira Bona, a pediatric oncologist and member of Family Reach’s Impact Advisory Board, children with cancer from low-income households are three times more likely to die and two times more likely to relapse than their counterparts.

‘If our goal is to cure every child of cancer, then ensuring access to clinical trials and novel therapies is simply not enough,’ shared Dr. Bona in an interview with Dana-Farber Cancer Institute.

She explains that while we’ve made significant advances in pediatric cancer care, we must address social determinants of health — like stable housing, food, and transportation —  to ensure all families can benefit from life-saving new treatments.

‘If we can cure cancer, we can certainly cure poverty-associated disparities in childhood cancer, but our approach needs to shift,’ Bona says.

Getting help at home

Like many of the patients Dr. Bona sees, Camille and her family have experienced the intense highs and lows of a pediatric cancer diagnosis. She has relapsed nine times over the last 11 years, evolving from a child with cancer to a young adult with it.

‘Growing up with cancer, I’m hyper-aware of how expensive it is to simply exist,’ shared Camille.

Now a 21-year-old psychology student at Boston University, Camille is juggling classes, an increasingly rigorous treatment schedule, and finances. ‘Even today, I’m somehow supposed to pay $30 or more for parking at the hospital every time I go, when I can’t even hold a job due to long-term side effects of my treatment.’

Family Reach has worked with over 100,000 families like Camille’s over the last 28 years, paying mortgage bills, landlords, and utility companies. Our goal is to help them stay afloat during one of the most difficult times in their lives, enabling them to adhere to their doctors’ care plans fully.

I’m thrilled to share that our efforts continue to move the needle — 82% of families supported in 2023 reported decreased financial distress after receiving our services.

‘Home is the most important place to heal and Family Reach helped us stay in our home — with the heat on, with the lights on, with food in the fridge — so that we could focus on my recovery,’ shared Camille at a recent Family Reach event.

‘After 11 years of living with cancer, I can say with confidence that when you choose to support Family Reach, you’re standing up to a long overdue issue, and you’re helping the cancer community in a tangible and truly impactful way.’

Want to get involved? Become a monthly donor in September, Childhood Cancer Awareness Month, and your donations will be matched for one year, doubling your support for families like Camille’s. Sign me up.”

Source: Carla Tardif/LinkedIn

Carla Tardif is the Chief Executive Officer of Family Reach and the Founder and former President of CMT Entertainment. As a key member of the White House Cancer Moonshot initiative, she focuses on addressing the non-medical challenges of cancer care. She leads efforts to ensure that essential needs like food, housing, and transportation are met for all patients.