American Cancer Society Grants $6,000 to Patient Assistance Fund

LIBERTY, Mo., April 9, 2024 – The American Cancer Society Road to Recovery Grant was awarded to the Liberty Hospital Foundation’s Patient Assistance Program. Through a highly competitive application process that the Liberty Hospital Cancer Committee submitted, the $6,000 grant is being utilized in the form of a gas gift card program for distribution to patients beyond 30 miles of Liberty Hospital.

In 2023, 100 patients were served, with a total of 1,310 one-way rides to make up the $5,000 grant. This grant has increased by $1,000 from 2023 to 2024, which can help potentially a dozen or more patients this upcoming year.

Transportation can be one of the biggest barriers to receiving cancer treatment. The American Cancer Society (ACS) has awarded grants to health systems partners to help alleviate the strain of transportation for cancer patients. The American Cancer Society is proud to partner with health systems to provide this support to cancer patients. Without transportation, many patients may not be able to follow their treatment plan as prescribed by their health care team. Additionally, cancer patients cite transportation to and from treatment as a critical need, second only to direct financial assistance. Many patients do not have a vehicle or are too ill to drive themselves – family and friends may help but may not have the time or financial means to assume the total responsibility.

The Liberty Hospital Foundation’s Patient Assistance Program aims to help uninsured and underinsured get quality access to health care. A grant like this helps further the Foundation’s mission making sure that the Liberty Hospital Community has access to health, education, wellness, and care.