GREENSBORO, N.C. — When a family is told their child has cancer their world is turned upside down. The pandemic is only making the news more devastating.
There are six pediatric cancer centers in North Carolina - which means a lot of traveling back and forth, some of the time out of our state for treatment. That's where Children's Cancer Partners of the Carolinas steps in to help.
"What we're doing is helping them get to treatment, it is transportation, it's food and lodging, it could be a child at Brenner who needs to be at a clinical trial that's in New York," Laura Allen, the executive director, said.
Right now the organization is helping 1,250 kids in both North and South Carolina. She says when you think about how COVID-19 has made your life more stressful - flying is more dangerous, finding a safe place to stay is harder, limiting the number of people you can be around is necessary- imagine how it affects these families.
"Cancer doesn't take a day off so during this pandemic it has been critically important that we have not missed a beat and we've been there for these children and their families when other organizations have had to close down, for instance, the Ronald McDonald House hasn't been open so we've had to pick up additional housing expenses and lodging expenses," Allen said.
Allen says they've lost a lot of fundraising money this year because of the pandemic - about $350,000 - and could use the help. You can learn more here.