Submitted by The Mayday Foundation
This week The Mayday Foundation board of directors unanimously voted to expand services to Lewis County. “We’re thrilled to be able to offer short-term financial assistance to Lewis County families coping with cancer while raising kids at home,” said executive director and founder, Amy Rowley. “Our ability to keep families in their homes and out of bankruptcy makes an impact in the community.”
The Mayday Foundation provides immediate, practical assistance when a family member has been diagnosed with cancer. The Mayday Foundation covers rent, mortgage, utilities, gas, groceries and other household expenses. “In the past two years, The Mayday Foundation has assisted 48 families who live or receive treatment in Thurston or Grays Harbor counties,” added Rowley. “This represents more than 70 kids who have had the stability of staying in their home, attending their same school and having enough food on the table. Now we are extending this service to Lewis County families.”
“We know that we can’t completely solve a family’s financial woes after a cancer diagnosis arrives, but we can alleviate some of the worrying and stress for a short time,” said Rowley. “The purpose of Mayday’s assistance is to give parents time to figure out the long-term plan for reduced income and/or increased medical bills.”
The Mayday Foundation’s coverage area now matches the communities served by Providence Regional Cancer System. “It was a natural fit for The Mayday Foundation to also be serving families in Lewis County. With all the oncology health care workers that travel between Lacey, Aberdeen and Centralia, it just makes sense for Mayday to also provide the continuity of care to all three communities,” said Rowley. To receive care, however, patients can live in one of these three communities but receive treatment at Kaiser, Seattle Cancer Care Alliance, Mary Bridge Children’s Hospital or any other cancer center.
“Thank you so much for the gas and grocery gift cards and helping me pay my rent. You have no idea the weight it lifts off me, to not have to worry about how I’m going to feed my little girl or having to worry about having a roof over our heads,” said a single mom coping with ovarian and uterine cancer while raising a 6-year-old daughter in Olympia.
To learn more about The Mayday Foundation, visit www.maydayfoundation.org. To receive help while coping with cancer, please speak first with your oncology nurse or social worker and then contact help@maydayfoundation.org.
