Hawaii Children's Cancer Foundation

Services For Families
Helping With Family Issues
Join Our Mailing List
Request Financial Assistance

"Thank you all very much for all you have done for us. I wouldn't have known what to do or where to go. I was scared for my son and myself…and you were there to help us."

- Cathleen San Nicholas

(Her son Ryan Unchangco was diagnosed with nasopharyngeal cancer at age 9.)

"Since my daughter was diagnosed, I have not been able to return to work. You have taken a huge weight off of my shoulders. I can't thank you enough."

- Debra Seitz

(Her daughter Rita was diagnosed with lymphoma at age 12.)

"The information and support you gave us while my son Jimmy was in the hospital helped us through that hard time in our lives. Thank you, thank you, thank you."

- Francine, Joe, Jimmy and Kainoa Stevens

(Their son Jimmy was diagnosed with acute myelogenous leukemia at age 9.)

"Thank you for helping me defray some of my education expenses by reimbursing part of the costs for my books. Your generosity has enabled me to continue pursuing a degree in culinary arts."

- Tiffany K. Yamaguchi

(Tiffany is a childhood cancer survivor who was diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 3. She was later diagnosed with thyroid cancer and had a bone marrow transplant.)

The Foundation provides a wide range of services and programs to our families, including financial assistance, support groups, social events, education and advocacy. All HCCF services and programs are entirely free to our families.

One of the most valuable services HCCF offers newly diagnosed families is a connection with parents who have experienced their own child being diagnosed with cancer. We do this through support groups.

Any child who has, or has had, cancer and is receiving cancer treatment in Hawaii is eligible for financial assistance. There are no other requirements. The amount of financial assistance we provide annually to each family fluctuates, based on donations and other funding received by the Foundation.

HCCF's services to families of children with cancer include:

Direct financial assistance
Parent support group meetings
Bereavement group meetings for those who have lost their child
Both a local and toll-free (neighbor islands) telephone Hotline for families needing information or services
A "Kokua Basket" gift basket for newly diagnosed children/families
Periodic mailings to our families
A free Coffee Service on the pediatric floor for families whose child is hospitalized
A newsletter for our families, friends and community members
A free Resource Library about childhood cancer for parents
School re-entry packets for teachers and educators, to help smooth the transition back into school for children with cancer
Local networking with the national Candlelighter's Childhood Cancer Foundation, to represent Hawaii on the national level
Advocacy for medical, educational and social issues of children and families
Parent/professional collaboration to improve existing, and identify needed, community and medical resources for families
Representation on an Interagency Task Force for parent/child concerns
Community events, such as "Childhood Cancer Awareness Month" (September), the annual "Gold Ribbon Campaign fundraiser, and childhood cancer education/awareness activities
Annual Christmas Party
Annual HCCF Golf Tournament fundraiser
Scholarship Fund for young-adult survivors of childhood cancer
"Families Can*Cer*Vive," a weekend family support/education retreat sponsored by HCCF and the American Cancer Society

For families of childhood cancer patients, dealing with the illness doesn't end when treatment ends. Children may experience post-treatment problems and complications; there is follow-up testing and screening for years; and the most dreaded of all--relapses after treatment ends. Even for families whose child does relatively well after treatment, long-term learning challenges and issues at school remain. Stresses and strains of the experience have continuing emotional and financial impact.

Among the many issues that families may face are:

Marital stress, and resulting divorces
Loss of or reduction of employment by one parent in order to provide caregiving
The financial impact of enormous medical expenses
Guilt over not having enough time and attention for the child's siblings
Loss of employment due to extended and frequent absences for the child's treatment
The child's learning or physical disability as a result of treatment
Fear of their child dying

Families who have a child with cancer need support in many ways to help them cope with this difficult and stressful situation, and to keep the family together and functioning. That's why we're here.

Our families pay no membership fee. Once you're on our mailing list, you receive notices for all events, meetings and activities. Please download and complete the Patient/Family Information Form and mail it to HCCF for us to add you to our mailing list.

Download a Patient/Family Information Form:

MS Word file
PDF file
HTML file

If your child has, or has had, cancer and is receiving cancer treatment in Hawaii, you are part of HCCF and are eligible for assistance, based on our guidelines. The annual per family amount we are able to provide in financial assistance fluctuates, based on donations and other funding received by HCCF. Please download and complete the Patient Assistance Application Form (PDF) and mail it to HCCF if you would like to apply for financial assistance.

Download a Family Assistance Application Form:

PDF file