Sanford Health receives $60,000 grant from ACS
| Oct. 30, 2023 |
| Contact: Kristen Beat Sanford Health Media Relations 605-366-2432 / Kristen.Beat@sanfordhealth.org |
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — To help alleviate some of the financial burden of cancer treatment, the American Cancer Society (ACS) recently awarded a $60,000 lodging grant to Sanford Health. The grant is one of 91 lodging grants totaling $2.5 million awarded to health systems nationwide. The funding will allow health systems to provide eligible patients an estimated 32,000 nights of free lodging during treatment.
“Being able to provide lodging assistance for patients who travel for cancer care alleviates a burden, providing easier access to care and an increased focus on treatments,” said Amy Baete, director of initiatives at Sanford Health. “Being able to offer shelter and an opportunity for patients to stay close to campus during treatment makes a patient’s cancer journey just a bit easier. Many patients have expressed sincere gratitude for the lodging and gas assistance provided by the American Cancer Society grants and as caregivers we are equally as thankful.”
Proximity to treatment prevents many people living with cancer from getting high-quality care which worsens cancer outcomes. Thanks to both a lodging grant and a transportation grant from the American Cancer Society, Sanford Health can offer patient assistance so that rural patients can achieve better outcomes.
“Not having access to high-quality cancer treatment due to where you live contributes to the disparities we see in cancer outcomes. It’s important to provide the funding and programming needed to keep the cost of a hotel room from impacting survival,” said Dr. Arif Kamal, chief patient officer for the American Cancer Society. “The local health systems we partner with across the country use this funding to deliver assistance directly to the patients who need it most.”
The American Cancer Society believes all people should have a fair and just opportunity to live a longer, healthier life free from cancer regardless of how much money they make, skin color, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or where they live. In addition to providing lodging funding to health systems, the American Cancer Society runs over 30 Hope Lodge communities that provide a free place to stay during treatment.
About Sanford Health
Sanford Health, the largest rural health system in the United States, is dedicated to transforming the health care experience and providing access to world-class health care in America’s heartland. Headquartered in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, the organization serves more than one million patients and 201,000 health plan members across 250,000 square miles. The integrated health system has 46 medical centers, 2,800 Sanford physicians and advanced practice providers, 170 clinical investigators and research scientists, 186 Good Samaritan Society senior living centers and world clinics in nine countries around the globe. Learn more about Sanford Health’s commitment to shaping the future of rural health care across the lifespan at sanfordhealth.org or Sanford Health News.
About the American Cancer Society
The American Cancer Society is a leading cancer-fighting organization with a vision to end cancer as we know it, for everyone. For more than 100 years, we have been improving the lives of people with cancer and their families as the only organization combating cancer through advocacy, research, and patient support. We are committed to ensuring everyone has an opportunity to prevent, detect, treat, and survive cancer. To learn more, visit cancer.org or call our 24/7 helpline at 1-800-227-2345. Connect with us on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram.
