The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society Partners With North Bay Cancer Alliance And Community Foundation Sonoma County To Offer Financial Assistance To North Bay Blood Cancer Patients

SAN FRANCISCO, July 21, 2015 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's (LLS) Greater Bay Area Chapter is pleased to offer the Patient Travel Assistance Program to blood cancer patients and their families in the North Bay through funding by North Bay Cancer Alliance (NBCA) and Community Foundation Sonoma County. With this program, patients with significant financial need are able to qualify to receive financial assistance for approved expenses which include ground transportation (gas, tolls, car rental, taxi, bus, train, etc.), air travel and lodging related expenses.

"The burden of cancer is so great but this partnership helps to lessen some of the financial hardship patients and families experience," stated Lauren Hall, Senior Manager of Patient Access & Education at The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society. "We regularly receive calls from patients in crisis who cannot move forward with potentially life-saving treatments because they cannot afford to pay for transportation. This is especially true for patients in the North Bay who often need to travel to Palo Alto, San Francisco or Sacramento for treatment."

With the generous funding of $50,000 from the North Bay Cancer Alliance and $25,000 from the Community Foundation Sonoma County: Blood Bank of the Redwoods Legacy Fund, LLS is able to offer financial assistance to patients in North Bay counties including Marin, Sonoma, Napa, Solano, Lake, Mendocino, Humboldt and Del Norte. LLS will hire a bilingual Patient Access Associate to assist patients, specifically those in the Hispanic community, which frequently face significant financial and structural barriers to necessary health care.

"Despite the robust cancer services available in the North Bay, the Hispanic cancer community is often underserved," stated Kent Corley, Executive Director of the North Bay Cancer Alliance. "We intend this funding to have the immediate impact of ensuring financially disadvantaged cancer patients the ability to attend critical oncology appointments. Our hope is to utilize this program to develop future education and support programs for the Hispanic community in the North Bay."

The Patient Travel Assistance Program will provide an opportunity for LLS to conduct a Psychosocial Needs Assessment with recipients of the program. Results of the assessment will offer a direction in which to focus quality of life intervention efforts, allowing LLS to identify the specific services and assistance preferred by North Bay blood cancer patients. To learn more about the program or eligibility in the North Bay, please visit http://www.lls.org/greater-bay-area/article/patient-support-programs-greater-bay-area?src1=27541&src2=.

North Bay Cancer Alliance is an independent community-based and operated nonprofit founded in 2005 whose principal function is helping North Bay residents take on cancer with financial, medical and informational solutions. To learn more about NBCA visit www.northbaycancer.org. Community Foundation Sonoma County is a hub of philanthropy for the county, connecting people, ideas and resources to benefit all who live in Sonoma County. To learn more about Community Foundation Sonoma County visit www.sonomacf.org.

For more information on The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society's Patient Travel Assistance Program, contact Lauren Hall at Lauren.Hall@lls.org or 415-625-1115, or visit www.lls.org/gba.

About The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society
The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society ® (LLS) is the world's largest voluntary health agency dedicated to blood cancer.  The LLS mission: Cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin's disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families.  LLS funds lifesaving blood cancer research around the world and provides free information and support services for patients and their loved ones.

Major LLS fundraising campaigns include Team In Training, Light The Night Walk, School & Youth, Man & Woman of the Year and Leukemia Cup Regatta.  To reach the widest possible audience, LLS partners with national and regional level companies and brands, including Nike, Disney, Burlington and others.

Founded in 1949 and headquartered in White Plains, NY, LLS has chapters throughout the United States and Canada.  To learn more, visit www.LLS.org.  Patients and caregivers should contact the Information Resource Center at (800) 955-4572, Monday through Friday, 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. ET.

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SOURCE Leukemia & Lymphoma Society - Greater Bay Area Chapter