My son had open heart surgery when he was a baby, as many of our readers may know.  One stress of this already stressful time was lodging.  I stayed in the hospital with my son 23 hours a day, but I needed a place to shower and for the rest of my family to stay.  We were six hours from our home.  Fortunately, we could afford lodging, but for many critical ill patients living far from good care, this is not always the case.

Jeri Ryan has teamed with the American Cancer Society to “Finish the Fight”.  By texting from your cell phone, you can donate to insure cancer patients have lodging during their treatments.

Thousands of cancer patients can’t afford a place to stay when the best treatment is far from home. A room shouldn’t be the difference between life and death. Last year the American Cancer Society provided lodging for 50,000 patients and caregivers. Let’s continue to make sure that everyone who needs a room gets one! Join the American Cancer Society and make noise to finish the fight against cancer. Join the American Cancer Society and make noise to finish the fight against cancer.

Through my experience with my son, I know of some lodging assistance that is available for low income families, such as the Ronald McDonald House, but these homes usually have waiting lists and are not as private as one would desire when going through treatments for life-threatening illness.  Plus, many such charitable homes are only available to individuals that qualify based upon income.  Medical treatments, even with insurance, are very expensive, no matter what your socio-economic status.

Comfort when healing is crucial.  Comfortable lodging allows patients to rest and eat well between treatments.  Worrying about this extra expense is the last thing that should stand in the way of anyone “Finishing the Fight” against cancer.

This post is sponsored by American Cancer Society