Help Cancer Patients Access Medications!

Medication needs of cancer patients are very broad.  Not only do they include chemotherapy medications, but also medicine to treat side effects, to prevent complications, to increase blood counts, and many others.  Among them, are antiviral drugs. 

Cancer patients recovering from toxicities associated with chemotherapy and other treatments are often vulnerable to infections, and suffer more severe illness as a result of infection.  Antiviral drugs, just like antibiotics and antifungals, are essential for protection of cancer patients during their lengthy treatment process.  Most recently, we have used your donations to purchase medications to support cancer patients needing intensive care. 

Foscavir is a medication that treats viral infections - usually herpes viruses, such as herpes simplex and drug-resistant CMV.  Often, it's the last resort drug used in intensive care units.  Although it has been available since 1990s, it is not registered in Russia. For that reason, the hospitals are unable to acquire it and have to ask charities for help with making it available for gravely sick patients.  The medication has to be on hand, because once the infection spirals out of control, it is a matter of days, and sometimes hours, before it becomes lethal. 

Thanks to your support, we were able to pay $2,700 towards the costs of acquiring Foscavir for hospitals in St. Petersburg in August, and we anticipate another bill soon.   Thank you so much for helping us support cancer patients with this vital medication and save lives! 

Happy upcoming holiday season to you!  Stay warm! 

Cancer diagnosis carries with it the weght of worry and confusion, choices and decisions, disruption and delays. It is also very costly.  Almost 40% of patients deplete their life savings as a result of the diagnosis.  Your support is vital to the patients and in many cases it's the only way they can afford the necessary medications. 

Most recently, we used your donations to help Gulnara from Tajikistan.  Since 2012 she has been battling breast cancer.  Letrozole is a medicine often prescribed to keep women like her from recurrence, but it is not available in Tajikistan.  Her family has to purchase it abroad and pay for it out of their own pocket.  Without our help, they would not have been able to afford it. 

And it's small donations that enable us to help patients like Gulnara.  Donations of up to $25 make up 65% of total donations we receive, while those of $26-$50 comprise additional 20%.  Small donations are our foundation - without them we would crumble and fall.  We want you to know that we are grateful for donations of any size.  What matters to us is your support and dedication to helping cancer patients. 

If you would like to take advantage of a bonus to your donation, Little by Little Campaign week returns on Monday, August 12th!  This campaign celebrates the mighty power of small donations.  A 60% match on any donation of $50 or less will be given for as long as the bonus funds last.  In addition, bonus prizes for most money raised and most unique donors will be available.

That's not all - all new recurring donors will get an additional 100% match on their initial donation as long as it remains active for a minimum of four payments.

Thanks again and hope you join us the week of August 12th!