CORPUS CHRISTI, Texas — A Dallas based foundation jumped in to help families with children being treated for cancer at Driscoll Children's Hospital.
The Salood Foundation is assisting families deal with the devastating diagnosis.
The foundation is providing grants of $500 a month to individual families for non-medical expenses.
A pediatric hematologist oncologist at Driscoll Children's Hospital, Dr. Catherine Boston reacted to the news that the foundation will award grants to families with children being treated at Driscoll Children's Hospital or one of it's satellite offices in the valley.
"I think that this foundation support is just amazing," Boston said. "I think that there is a huge need. I think that it's really good for the families to know that there's people out there that care about them."
A clinical social worker in the hospital's Blood Disorder Center, Laura Esparza, said, "What they are offering is a grant, $500 check that the families can use for whatever expenses that they need."
The center has treated hundreds of patients for all types of cancers.
Twenty-five families so far have been awarded these monthly grants and the hospital said there is no expiration on the partnership to provide the aid.
Esparza said families from Texas and around the world often show up to care for their child with only the barest of necessities.
"Usually one parent is forced to quit, completely resign," she said. "Then you have a 50-percent loss of income. I work with a lot of single parents and you can even imagine more difficult for them because they have total loss of income."
Esparza and another social worker screen applicants to help determine who needs the aid.
She said there are a lot of people who are struggling because of their child's illness.
"They're very appreciative," Esparza said. "And I just got a call yesterday from a mother in the Rio Grande Valley who received a check from Salood and she was really touched that people that she didn't even know would offer her this assistance."
"We hear a lot from families that are just trying to figure out their new normal and how they're going to be able to be with their child especially if they have other children at home," Boston said. "How they're going to make sure that their needs are met, how they're going to pay for their other house, what are they going to do if they can't work or anything like that."
If you or someone you know would benefit from this assistance program, contact Laura Esparza through Driscoll Children's Hospital at (361) 694-5000.
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