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INSPIRATION FOR THE BEAR FUND
In the fall of 2019, Nick and Heather Baker's youngest child Barrett ("Bear") was diagnosed with hepatoblastoma, a rare liver cancer. Bear endured over two years of chemotherapy and eight surgeries, including a liver transplant, to help again reach remission; his resiliency is a source of inspiration for the family and their legion of friends. In 2021, Nick and Heather joined with the Cancer Support Community (CSC) to establish The Bear Fund to provide navigation resource services and financial assistance so every child can Fight Cancer Like a Bear.
THE NEED FOR THE BEAR FUND
In 2021, about 10,500 children in the United States under the age of 15 will be diagnosed with cancer, according to the American Cancer Society. Here are the challenges their families will face:
- The average cost associated with childhood cancer in 2018 was $833,000 for one child for medical costs and lost parental wages.
- One in four families loses more than 40 percent of their annual household income because of childhood cancer treatment-related work disruption, while one in three families faces other work disruptions such as having to quit work or change jobs.
HOW THE BEAR FUND HELPS FAMILIES
The Bear Fund provides a nationwide, professionally-staffed pediatric navigation program and targeted financial assistance and resources funds at the two hospitals where Bear received treatment.
The Pediatric Cancer Support Navigator
The navigator is a licensed professional at CSC who will provide the following services free of charge to families across the country:
- Access to a distress screening that includes a series of questions designed to identify a family's source of stress or challenges and use that information to match them with the resources they need
- Collaboration with pediatric oncology centers to address barriers to care, timely access to services, and access to local and national resources
- Specialized information and navigation in pediatric oncology, finances, family and medical leave, clinical trials, and genetics/genomics
- Help with transportation, financial assistance, school accommodations during and after treatments, support for siblings, camps, and scholarships
Assistance Fund
Children's Hospital Los Angeles, Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, and Phoenix Children's Hospital are the initial sites for grant program that will provide qualifying families with up to $1,000 relief grants to help with the following challenges:
- Medical costs
- Transportation to appointments (e.g., gas or rail/airfare)
- Rent or mortgage payments
- Food
- Utilities
- Car or mortgage payments
- Travel to meetings focused on new treatment options or clinical trials
The Bear Fund Donors
Darren Abbott
Michael Aboussie
Morten Andersen
Anonymous
The Anschutz Foundation
Stuart & Jacqueline Arbuckle
Ardourel Family
Chris Aronhalt
Mark Askelson
Andrea Bailey
Alex Baker
Matthew Baker
Michael & Nissa Baker
Ray & Fran Baker
William Baker
Angela Barr
Melissa Beagle
Alexandra Beck
Kim Beck
Todd Beck
Kristen Benedict
Randy Bernstein
Adrienne Bigham
Rob Bindeman
Anna Lisa Bonichi
Tanyn Boulay
Lara Braish
Robert Briceland
Ashley Browne
Kim Bruna
Jonathan Buck
Jason Caliento
Stephanie Callahan
Scott Carmichael
Ethan Casson
Christy Castillo Butcher
Eric Chun
Jim Ciortan
Johnathan Co
Wendy Coate
David Coduti
Daniel M. Cohen
Max Cohen
Steve & Wendy Cohen
Astrid Collins
Lindsey Correa
Karen Costello
Kelly Cotreau
David Damus
Susan Daniels
Maria DeRuccio
Eddie DeVall
Anne Dinh
Tiffany Dougherty
Jill & Thomas Durovsik
Angelina Elliott
Kendra Elliott
Autumn Elorreaga
Kerri Farley
Todd Fikre
Todd Fischer
Tim Flynn
Lucy Foord
Dan Forman
Barbara Francis
Elizabeth Franklin
Derek & Sarah Franks
Dan Freyman
William Gable
Nicholas Geller
Chris Glass
Louise Golding
Kim & Todd Goldstein
Alan Goree
Ben Gradishar
Jim Grass
Christopher Hammer
Bill & Maribeth Hanzlik
Robert Hanzlik
Rocky Harris
Stew Heathcote
Dave & Maureen Herbert
Pam Honner Licht
Pirie Humphries
Scott Irwin
John Ivey
Steve Joudi
Michael Kaiser
Christos Karmis
Michael Kehoe
William Kemper
Mark Khatoonian
Kristin Klein
Debra Klevens
Todd Kline
Ann Kochenberger
Chad & Casey Kochenberger
Chuck & Sandy Kochenberger
Natalie Kopp
Katherine Krohn
Ken LaBrusciano
Joseph Lange
Stephanie Lawniczek
Gregory Lawson
Julie Lazaroff
Tara Leipheimer
Chris Lenzen
Erin Lester
Michael Levine
Katherine Lopez
Edward Lourie
Matt Lourie
Gregory Luckman
Ernesto Martynek
Amanda Marz
Ellen McCarty
Sarah McGinley
Nam McGrail
Jill & Brian McNamee
Lauren & Tim Meichtry
William Melo
Megan Mildrew
Ted Miller
Mobilitie
John & Nancy Moffat
Michael Moran
Jerry Morant
Meghan Murphy
Molly Murphy
National Christian Foundation California
Stephanie Nienhuis
Robert Nikl
Marshall Nu
Lynne & Greg O'Brien
Dana Old
Katie Pandolfo
George Pappas
Dan Parise
Makenzie Parker
Vijay Patel
Orlando F. Perez
Kevin & Lindsay Petty
Sam Piccione
Dean Pisciotta
Larry & Jean Pisciotta
Ryan Pisciotta
Paul Podolsky
Erin Polak
Kala Polman-Tuin
Crystal Poncsak
Rodolfo Quant
Katie Ranne
Ross Riddle
Lauren Robertson
Julie Rodriguez
Marc Rohleder
Megan Romero
Michelle Rosch
Michael Roth
Eric Ruehle
Rick Ruff
Maggie Russell
Ryan Family Fund
Scott Salmirs
Richard Sargent
Adnan Saric
Kai Sato
Brian Sauer
Charles Scheper & Julie Geisen Scheper
Jennifer Schreuder
Judy Schreuder
Tyler & Kate Schreuder
Andy Seeger
Chelsea Seeger
Gian Carlo Sevilla
Joseph Sforza
The Sharon & Frederick Brubaker Fund
Romy Sherman
Leslie Shinners
Patricia Sierko
Henrik Slipsager
Charlie Smith
Jac Sperling
David Starensier
Gail Stoltze
Gary Taggart
Tim Taggart
Dan & Haley Talley
Nickole Tara
Todd Tedford
Jill & Bob Thacker
Kim Thiboldeaux
Erik & Jodi Thompson
Toshiba American Business Solutions
Hai Train
Jim Turner
Shawn Ulm
Robert Vartan
Lillian Vallejo
Felise Waxman
Jennifer Welch
Jonathan Werbeck
Casey Wilcox
Shannon Willett
Jammie Witherspoon
Jonathan Woydziak
Tamara Zaki
Michael Zavodsky
Lee Zeidman
THANK YOU!
We have received your donation in support of The Bear Fund. Please check your email (including your spam folder) for a receipt confirming your contribution.
We are so grateful for your support.
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