UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Center
is giving 100 needy families coping with cancer $100 grocery gift cards. The goal is to raise awareness about holiday food insecurity and reduce its impact on cancer patients and their families.
Over 80 of the Safeway gift cards were distributed yesterday during a special event at the cancer center for families facing financial challenges. Other gift cards are being handed out during individual treatment visits. Funding came from employee giving programs as well as individual donors.
"People with cancer often experience significant financial hardship — both in terms of direct and indirect medical costs, as well as reduced income due to disability. This can mean less food on the table for families," said Angela Usher, manager of the cancer center's Supportive Oncology Services. "An important first step in addressing food insecurity facing cancer patients is to detect it early in the treatment process and to continue to screen for it into survivorship."
UC Davis Comprehensive Cancer Supportive Oncology Services has embarked on a multi-staged approach to detecting and addressing food insecurity by:
- Screening at initial oncology consult for supportive care needs
- Social risk assessment by licensed clinical social workers
- Patient assistance to help reduce barriers to care
- Information and referrals for community services in the area
The $10,000 in funding for the grocery gift cards came from the Raymond Kwan Patient Assistance Memorial Fund and the UC Davis Employee Giving Program via the Cancer Center Patient Assistance Fund.
"If you are fortunate enough to help, please consider donating to these worthy organizations that collected more than $80,000 total in 2021," Usher said.
Usher said those interested can also help cancer patients and their families during the holidays by donating food and resources to organizations such as the Kiwanis Family House, Ronald McDonald House Charities Northern California and the Sacramento Food Bank.
