Sunday afternoon, ASTRO awarded this year’s recipients, Carter’s Foundation and Latinas Contra Cancer, with Survivor Circle Grants of $12,500 each for the services they provide. Carter’s Foundation is a nonprofit organization in Riverside, California, dedicated to bringing joy and comfort to children undergoing cancer treatment or hospitalization in Southern California. Latinas Contra Cancer is a nonprofit from San Jose, California, that aims to create an inclusive health care system for underserved Latinx residents of Santa Clara County.
Survivor Circle was created in 2003 to honor cancer survivors by recognizing organizations that provide support in the fight for survivorship. Since the start of the program, ASTRO has awarded over $550,000, thanks in large part to the generous support of our exhibitors.
Carter’s Foundation plans to use the grant to expand programs that have an immediate and personal impact. For example, their Spotlight Kid Packages are customized to each child’s unique interests and filled with new items such as soft blankets, toys, books and sensory activities chosen just for them to bring comfort and distraction during hard treatment days. Parent Packs provide caregivers with hygiene essentials such as toothbrush/toothpaste, face wipes, lotion and other items to help them feel supported during unexpected hospital stays. The Foundation also plans to provide Family Support Assistance through gas cards and meal support, as well as brighten birthdays and holidays for more children in treatment or remission, making sure they feel celebrated and supported.
Because Carter’s Foundation is 100% volunteer-run, every dollar of the grant will go directly to their programs to help the children and families served in Southern California. Ashley Santoro, Co-Founder and President of Carter’s Foundation, shared: “Through Survivor Circle, ASTRO is not only honoring survivorship but helping us create moments of joy and relief for families facing the unimaginable. This is more than funding. It is a shared commitment to compassion, resilience and hope.”
LCC plans to use the grant funding for their Patient Navigation and Patient Emergency Fund Programs. Through the Patient Navigation Program, LCC offers support with emergency screenings; support for scheduling appointments (exams, mammograms, Pap Tests, HPV screenings or vaccination, and other cancer related screenings); translation; accompaniment and support at medical appointments; securing free or low-cost health services; navigation to financial assistance; and addressing obstacles that would prevent clients from obtaining vital health services. Furthermore, LCC’s Patient Emergency Fund allows for small emergency grants to support critical needs, including transportation needs, crisis support and to assist with funeral costs.
The Survivor Circle Grant will bolster the Patient Navigation Team’s efforts to support patients as they go through their cancer treatment. For 20 years, LCC has educated and supported thousands, helping patients get to and from their cancer appointments, ensuring basic needs are met so clients can focus on healing and caring for their families. LCC bridges gaps by helping patients understand care plans, reduce cancer risks, access screenings, and enroll in medical insurance. The staff at LCC aspires to live in a world where those patients are dreamers and builders because they know that true health justice is about more than the absence of disease or sickness. It’s the presence of well-being, joy and liberation.
Darcie Green, Executive Director of LCC, enthusiastically shared on behalf of the board, staff and the communities they serve: “THANK YOU for standing with us — for showing up for our people and for this shared work. Your support is not just appreciated, it is transformational!”
The Riverside and San Jose regions of California will certainly benefit from the works of these two remarkable organizations, and ASTRO is delighted to grant these funds to deepen their impact. Upcoming ASTRO publications will provide updates on the grants’ impacts over the next year.
