About CancerCare

When I first started contemplating this project, I thought a lot about my mother's life and illness. I considered working for an organization which supported art, or Mexico, or any of the other many things that she loved. But what really moved me was thinking about her illness. She had the very good fortune to have a fantastic community, excellent health insurance, and good resources. One of her medicines alone cost tens of thousands of dollars a month - a (then experimental) drug that raised her red blood cell count so that she could have more energy in spite of chemotherapy. It was totally covered by health insurance. She was able to spend her final days at home, with her loved ones around her. And her health care decision were made based on what was right for her, not what they would cost. These priviledges are immeasurable.

So many people are nowhere near as fortunate. They worry not only about how to pay for radiation and chemotherapy, but also about how to get there, or who will watch their kids while they're at the hospital. In thanks for the many blessings that my mother gave me and the world, as well as the daily blessings I have in my life currently, I wanted to give back to an organization that helps people with the financial burden of cancer.

Donations from Pieathon will go directly to CancerCare, an organization that not only offers counseling and support services to those affected by cancer, but also has a direct financial assistance program helping people with the expenses of chemotherapy, radiation, pain medications, child care, home care, and more.

In their own words:

CancerCare is a national nonprofit organization that provides professional support services to anyone affected by cancer: people with cancer, their loved ones, caregivers, children, and the bereaved. CancerCare programs – including counseling, education, financial assistance and practical help – are provided by trained oncology social workers and are completely free of charge. Founded in 1944, CancerCare now provides individual help to more than 91,000 people and receives 2.1 million online visits each year to its websites, www.cancercare.org and http://www.lungcancer.org/. For more information, call 1-800-813-HOPE (4673) or visit us online.

To make a donation, go to www.cancercare.org/donate
Check the box under "tributes" and put "pieathon" or "Carol Hamill Callaway Memorial Fund".
All donations will then go to their direct financial assistance program.

Thank you so much for helping me support a great organization.