Rock the Cure Raised Funds to Remove Barriers to Treatment
Rock the Cure on April 15, 2023 was presented by Hard Rock Hotel & Casino SIoux City and Klinger Companies to support the June E. Nylen Cancer Center’s Patient Assistance Program. This program allows the cancer center to offer financial assistance to struggling patients.
“Cancer treatment can affect the ability to work and pay bills and sometimes the stress of how you will cover the cost of your treatment and other expenses during treatment is just as great as your actual diagnosis,” says Krista McCullough, Executive Director at the June E. Nylen Cancer Center. “Our Patient Assistance Fund can provide support to aid with mortgage/rent, utilities, gas, and groceries to free up the funds from those daily living expenses and allow a patient to put them towards their out-of-pocket treatment costs.”
Financial toxicity in medicine describes problems a patient has related to the cost of medical care. Several studies show that cancer patients and survivors are more likely to have financial toxicity because cancer is one of the most expensive medical conditions to treat in the United States.
McCullough adds the June E. Nylen Cancer Center provides care to several thousands of patients from the 15-county area each year. Cancer diagnoses are expected to increase, thus planning to have additional support funds available to patients is an important need for the cancer center.
“The June E. Nylen Cancer Center is able to offer financial assistance to our patients through the generosity of charitable donations from our staff and the community,” notes McCullough. “We are very thankful for the numerous donors who have supported us by previously giving to our Patient Assistance Fund and we are now grateful to the many sponsors and supporters of the second annual Rock the Cure which benefited this assistance fund. The Cancer Center is committed to providing advanced, comprehensive cancer care close to home for thousands of Siouxlanders, and the Patient Assistance Fund can truly help remove barriers to patients receiving their treatment.”
