Blood and cancer resources
Penn State Health Children’s Hospital is proud to offer educational resources and support to patients and their families. Here are some resources from the Division of Pediatric Hematology and Oncology:
- Social work services – our department of social services helps patients and families access programs designed to reduce the hardships associated with childhood cancer.
- Child Life Program – our Child Life Program specialists help support and educate children during their hospital and clinical experience.
- Educational program – our educational program helps chronically ill children stay in touch with school and adjust to life at school after long hospital stays.
- Four Diamonds Fund – this fund provides financial support to children with cancer. The mission of The Four Diamonds Fund is to conquer childhood cancer by assisting children treated at Penn State Health Children's Hospital and their families through superior care, comprehensive support and innovative research.
- Caring for a Young Person with Cancer: learn when to get professional help, what you can do on your own, and how to carry out and adjust your child’s care plan.
- Support groups – find support groups offered at Penn State Health Milton S. Hershey Medical Center.
Other resources
Learn more about childhood cancer and blood diseases at the trusted resources below:
- American Brain Tumor Association – provides information about all types of brain tumors.
- Cancer.gov – sponsored by the National Cancer Institute, this site provides information on childhood cancers.
- Cancer.org – this website for the American Cancer Society has information for children with cancer.
- Candlelighters – this national support network distributes parent and children's newsletters about cancer.
- CureSearch – this site from the National Childhood Cancer Foundation provides comprehensive support that is part of the Children's Oncology Group.
- Make-A-Wish Foundation – the Make-A-Wish Foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy.
- National Brain Tumor Society – this organization provides support to those with brain tumors.
- National Children's Cancer Society – this organization is dedicated to helping childhood cancer patients become childhood cancer survivors.
- National Marrow Donor Program – this site provides information for patient and families who are undergoing a matched, unrelated donor stem cell transplant.
- Pediatric Blood and Marrow Transplant Consortium (PBMTC) – this organization is dedicated to pediatric stem cell transplantation and provides patient and family education.
- Pediatric Oncology Experimental Therapeutics Investigators’ Consortium (POETIC) – this organization promotes early clinical developments and new therapies for children with cancer.
- Pediatric Oncology Resource Center – this site created by and for people who know young people who are dealing with cancer provides extensive information and support.
- Ronald McDonald House of central Pennsylvania – this organization provides support and housing to families of seriously ill children being treated at Penn State Health Children’s Hospital.
- The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society – this organization provides support and resources to those with leukemia or lymphoma.
Publications
Learn more about childhood cancer and blood diseases in these publications:
- “Childhood Cancer Survivors, A Practical Guide to Your Future,” Nancy Keene, Wendy Hobbie, and Kathy Ruccione
- “Childhood Brain and Spinal Cord Tumors, A Guide for Families, Friends and Caregivers,” Tania Shaminski-Maher, Patsy Cullen and Maria Sansalone
- “You and Leukemia, A Day at a Time,” Lynn S. Baker
Survivorship resources
More children are beating cancer than ever before. Here are some resources for childhood cancer survivors:
- Beyond the Cure – This program through the National Children’s Cancer Society is specifically for survivors. Beyond the Cure recognizes that care continues throughout a cancer survivor’s life and not when treatment ends.
- Childhood Cancer Survivorship Program - The Childhood Cancer Survivorship Clinic at Penn State Children’s Hospital wants to showcase the ways those who have survived childhood cancer and their families are thriving. The clinic educates survivors about ways to improve and maintain health and wellness, provides resources for young survivors, and offers stories of inspiration from fellow survivors who are thriving in their lives.
- Stupid Cancer – This organization addresses young adult cancer through advocacy, research, support, outreach, awareness, mobile health and social media. They offer information and resources for treatment patients and survivors.
- The National Children’s Cancer Society – This organization offers web conferences on a variety of topics including survivorship.
Scholarships for childhood cancer survivors
- Beyond The Cure Ambassador Scholarship Program – This scholarship is for anyone diagnosed with cancer before the age of 18 and still currently under the age of 25.
- Cancer for College – This is a scholarship for cancer survivors or amputees.
- FinAid Cancer Scholarships – This site includes information about scholarships for cancer patients, cancer survivors, children of a cancer patient or survivor, students who lost a parent to cancer, and students pursuing careers in cancer treatment.