Because cancer treatment costs are high and progressively rising, the disease can affect your economic condition as much as your health. The cost of breast cancer treatments usually ranges from $40,000 to $100,000, an amount that many patients can't afford. Before you give up your fight for financing, however, educate yourself about the many grants offered to patients suffering from breast cancer.
Grants for Breast Cancer
Grant money provided for cancer treatments is, in principle, a loan that may not be repaid. Several such grants are available patients suffering from breast cancer. The money granted can be used to pay for both direct and indirect costs of treatment, such as chemotherapy and travel costs incurred in getting to a treatment center.
Grant Money Sources
Grants for breast cancer can be obtained from both private and public organizations. One private establishment that provides grants to breast cancer patients is Cancer Cure. Public funding is available via national grants offered through government-supported programs, such as the National Cancer Institute (NCI), and state grants through Medicaid.
Process
The grant application process is comparable to that of a loan application. Patients are required to furnish the grant-giving organization information about their health and finances, along with explanations of their specific needs for the grant money.
Time Frame
The majority of federal grants have application deadlines and take anywhere from a few months to a year from the deadline to pay those that are awarded. Smaller organizations typically take less time. There are also grants, like The American Society of Breast Surgeons Foundation's, that have rolling deadlines, which means that grant requests are received throughout the year.
Considerations
Talk to a representative in the financial aid department of a hospital to acquire more information about the possible grants for breast cancer. As there are numerous organizations providing financial grants for breast cancer treatment, you must make a determined effort to search and apply to every institution for which you qualify.
