Cancer. A diagnosis that changes everything. It affects not only the patient but also family, friends, and everyone who loves them. Caregivers stop planning school pickups and soccer practice, and instead begin navigating treatment plans, hospital stays, and financial pressures. Suddenly faced with what seems an unscalable wall, the air tightens, and the journey ahead can feel isolating.
At PCFNJ, we recognize that children and families require more than just medical care; they need immediate, compassionate, and personalized support that accompanies them throughout each stage of their journey.
Our Support Services are built around this reality. They are designed to meet urgent needs quickly and to keep families from feeling isolated or overwhelmed. As a two-time cancer survivor herself, Family Ambassador Reenie knows exactly how difficult this road can be as she begins each conversation with one clear thought.
How can I help?
From there, the conversation is about what the family needs right now, not later, not in theory. We listen, we take stock, and then we act.
Support often looks different for each family. Some individuals need financial assistance to keep the lights on when a parent is unable to work. Others need childcare for siblings, a meal after a long day at the hospital, or a place to stay near treatment. Many need a professional to talk to, or a moment to celebrate a birthday or milestone, even if it falls in the middle of chemotherapy.
Here are some of the ways PCFNJ provides support:
- Financial assistance for travel, bills, mortgages, and daily expenses
- Gift cards for food, meals, and hospital cafeterias
- Housing assistance and travel supplies for extended treatment stays
- Childcare and sibling support
- Clothing, toys, books, and creative resources through Positively Creative
- Counseling and wellness programs, including meditation, exercise, and stress relief
- Connections to faith-based programs, if requested
- Caregiver support, such as meal delivery, massages, gift cards, and time off
- Special celebrations for birthdays, holidays, and milestones
- Scholarships for children returning to school after treatment
- End-of-treatment and survivorship support
- Bereavement services when families face loss
“No two families need the same thing. Our job is to figure out the gaps in support and fill them,” our Family Ambassador, Arlene Kleinsorge, said. “Cancer treatment is gruelling, and families should not have to face it alone. PCFNJ is here to provide real, tangible support so families can focus on what matters most: caring for their child. You do not walk this road alone.”
“We are so appreciative of the incredible energy and excellence Arlene and the support and services team are putting into building this important program,” said James C. Wittig, MD, Founder and Chairman of PCFNJ. “We are building an army of angels whose power is to help children diagnosed with cancer in New Jersey, and their families, to navigate a very complex, uncertain, and often expensive journey. Our aim is to ensure that our organization can provide support where there are gaps, support that really matters.”
