Child Sponsorship
Here at United Breast Cancer Foundation, we know that cancer does not simply affect the breast cancer patient. The entire family is impacted by a breast cancer diagnosis. UBCF developed the Child Sponsorship Program to support children directly impacted by breast cancer.
Wendy's Story
Wendy, a young, single mother, 32 years old with three young children depending on her for love, security, and a sense of home, was diagnosed with breast cancer. She had no means to care for her children while receiving treatment and was actually living out of her vehicle. In fact, Wendy nearly decided to forego treatment so she could be with her children. UBCF stepped in, provided Wendy a grant, and provided her children assistance through the Child Sponsorship Program. Wendy and her three children are now living in a safe environment and Wendy is responding well to her treatments.
Through the Child Sponsorship Program, UBCF may provide financial assistance to help with the cost of healthy food, assistance with medical treatments, counseling services, back-to-school clothing and supplies, and special holiday gifts.
UBCF is expanding the Child Sponsorship Program. As always, the program remains available to patients currently in treatment or survivors within 3 years remission. We are now expanding to include families who have suffered the loss of a parent due to breast cancer. Recognizing the long term emotional and financial impact on families, we have added to our program offering with the hope of supporting families with children as they navigate life after loss.
Please be advised that the application and review process can take up to 12 weeks.
Program Guidelines
- Breast Cancer patient or survivor within 3 years of diagnosis/completing active treatment (chemotherapy or radiation). Maintenance medications are not considered active treatment.
- Families that have lost a parent or guardian due to breast cancer.
- Children must be 18 years old or younger and living with a parent or guardian directly impacted by breast cancer (patient/ survivor, or surviving spouse/ partner/ guardian).
- Open to all regardless of age, race, gender, ethnicity or medical insurance coverage.
- You will be required to submit bills and/or receipts for expenses related to the children in your home 18 and younger. This may include outstanding bills or receipts for money already spent.
- If applicable, provide documentation of parental loss attributed to breast cancer
- If applicable, provide documentation of relationship of deceased breast cancer warrior to surviving spouse/ partner/ guardian (examples include: Marriage License, Declaration of Domestic Partnership, or Certificate of Civil Union)
Supplemental Documentation (Required)
The following documents are required to be submitted with your application (***Do NOT mail, fax or email these documents to UBCF. These documents are to be submitted with a COMPLETE APPLICATION. You must go through the ENTIRE application process. Interested applicants MUST complete an Eligibility Questionnaire and then receive an INVITATION to submit an application. DO NOT MAIL/ FAX/ EMAIL these documents):
- HIPAA Compliant Authorization (filled out by you) and Medical Information Form (filled out by a medical professional). Form available to download HERE
- documentation regarding your health status
- invoices/ bills/ receipts you are requesting financial assistance with
- income verification
Please respect UBCF’s application guidelines. Randomly mailed, emailed or faxed materials will not be considered or saved. If you are not clear on the process, please send us a message: programs@ubcf.org To reiterate, Do NOT mail, fax or email these documents to UBCF. They are to be submitted with a COMPLETE APPLICATION.
UBCF has accepted the max number of program support requests. You may access our other program offerings here. We look forward to supporting you!
Hear their Stories
Kerrie is a mother of two adopted children, living in southern Indiana. Around the time of her diagnosis, both her and her husband lost their jobs. This made it particularly difficult to give her two adoptive children the support and care they needed. Kerrie explained, “Teenage kids, they are not cheap! And I did not want to usurp their lives in any way, shape, or form. I felt so guilty because I adopted them. I brought them into our lives. The last thing I wanted was to worry them.” UBCF provided Kerrie with a Child Sponsorship grant. “You helped my kids, who had a tough go at the start of their lives, continue in a happy way”. Kerrie even received a surprise holiday gift from UBCF. “It was to the point I was like ‘YAY cancer!’ ”
KerrieLisette is a mother of three young boys, and she has found that her breast cancer diagnosis has affected them in ways that she did not expect. Following her diagnosis, her children faced increased anxiety and anger. Lisette understands the importance of mental health, but had difficulty finding help for them with a limited budget after breast cancer treatments. Luckily, UBCF has been able to support Lisette and her children. “UBCF is so supportive and generous, they continue to be generous.” She first received a child sponsorship to cover the cost of counseling for her children. “It's been 4 years, but they're still trying to process what happened, what could've happened, [and what] is it going to happen again. [The] therapy has helped them cope by giving them coping strategies.” In addition, UBCF has helped Lisette pay for aftercare programs for her children. This has given her children support and even help with homework while she commutes to various doctors for treatments.
LisetteRachel is a single mother of two sons who was diagnosed with inflammatory breast cancer in 2020. As a recently divorced mom guiding her children through a pandemic, breast cancer has not been an easy battle. Rachel had to quit her job and is constantly traveling to appointments to heal her cancer. This has made it really difficult to properly care for her children. Luckily, UBCF stepped in. Rachel explained, “UBCF offered a program where they help kids. My kids have been homeschooled…so the money helped pay their tuition through their accredited program. They've never been to a school before so I didn't want to do that going through pandemic, cancer and divorce.” To Rachel, being a mother means worrying about how her children might feel and how they’re processing the breast cancer battle - they’re fighting too. Still, her children have helped her through it. “I worry if I'll still be here. If I didn't have them, I don't think I would have gone through what I've gone through. It's a lot. I've gone through this with them. They keep me on course when I have trouble finding the strength to continue to fight for myself. I fight for them.”
RachelUBCF can make the transition a lot smoother and can lift the spirits of anyone going through Breast Cancer. I think it’s a blessing to have organizations like UBCF in the United States because it not only that your organization gives financial support but I believe it saves lives, because when you have cancer it's like a war in a persons body. And we all need people who care and that are willing to help those in need. In the end it's like we all need others in order to surpass this disease but the support that UBCF provides is incredible. I am immensely thankful and God Bless each of you.
AndraI would like to start by thanking you for the generous donation we have been awarded.
In May of 2015 I was diagnosed with stage 3 breast cancer. We are a family of 6 already struggling on one income as I was home raising our two youngest boys while the older two were in school. When the co-pays started pilling up, prescriptions, gas for travel you name it, even the small stuff became a burden and other things started taking a back seat. With four boys 7 and under, we normally start school shopping for clothes and supplies during the summer for the upcoming school year. This year it was really difficult coming up with the funds for our basic necessities. With UBCF’s generous grant, we will be able to buy the kids clothes, jackets and boots for the upcoming winter school months. The grant will also help offset some of our grocery bill.
AdrianeUpon hearing of my breast cancer diagnosis only a month after my husband lost his job following a debilitating back injury, the thought of how we were going to survive financially did not enter our minds. With two children, we knew eventually we would have to take the uncertain and humbling step of asking for assistance.
The staff at this Foundation are amazing…not only do they sincerely want to know your story on a personal level, but they truly want to be able to help in any way possible. They actually listened to my entire story from the date of my initial diagnosis to the beginning of my chemo and through my first surgery. They were sympathetic, kind and caring and just unloading some of the feelings of trauma and frustration I had been feeling these several months was such a relief as well as a comfort.
This Child Sponsorship Program will enable me to ensure that my two boys, ages 4 and 8, will be able to have all the supplies they need for school and healthy, nutritious food on the table. This Foundation has provided an invaluable and priceless service to women diagnosed with breast cancer who find themselves at an impasse, both financially and emotionally.
NicoleI just received your generous and extremely needed grant approvals and gifts in the mail today! Words cannot describe how much this means to me and my daughter. You have made life a little bit easier for us and we will be forever grateful.
We Send our love, hugs and gratitude along with a heartfelt thank you for the blessings you have provided to us over the past 3 years. We hope you continue on blessing women and their families faced with breast cancer. God sees all and he will take care of this winderful organization along with those who partake in its services.
Tracy & PeytonWe received the generous gift UBCF sent today for the holidays and we just want to say thank you for everything your organization has done for us this year. We are taking it as a sign we are doing the right thing for the twins birthday because the book you sent us was Winter Wonderland and the theme of the girls first birthday coming up Winter ONEderland because that’s what my wife wanted. Thank you again.
JakeI cannot believe what I just got in the mail from you guys. I just can’t believe it! Your nonprofit is so, so giving and selfless. And let me tell you what a time it came to me. Friday the day after Thanksgiving my mom was tragically killed on her way to work for a non-profit cafe we own. But to have something like this come in the mail it just shows me God loves me so much because he knows I love to go shopping at Target with the family and now money is so tight. My husband needs to take time off and my care is being put on hold. The book couldn’t have been more special - little animals are just perfect for who we are.
CelesteThere are no words to express how much I appreciate what your foundation has done for me while I am on my cancer journey. All of your kindness and generosity is so greatly appreciated more than you will ever know. All of your help and kindness made it possible for me to be able to really concentrate on my cancer treatment to try and get better. I am forever grateful to you all! Thank you again from the bottom of my heart!
LorraineContact Us
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United Breast Cancer Foundation
P.O. Box 2421
Huntington, NY 11743
ph | 1-877-822-4287
fax | 1-877-822-4287