TRI-COUNTIES — The holidays can be tough on families, especially this year during the pandemic and it has been even tougher for families in the Tri-Counties who have a child facing pediatric cancer. In light of this, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) has launched “Season of Hope,” a campaign that will run now through the holidays to help give these families a joyful holiday season and support them with basic needs going into 2021.
During this challenging year, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation (TBCF) has been providing even more services for families, including money for rent assistance, grocery gift cards, additional emotional support groups with licensed therapists, virtual and in-person tutoring, meals and care package delivery, and virtual family fun events to keep their kids engaged. Community support has made it possible for TBCF to provide additional financial assistance to families severely affected by the pandemic.
Not only will the Season of Hope campaign help families with basic needs going into 2021, it also aims to support local families in need this holiday season – this ranges from supporting them with Christmas trees, grocery/merchant gift cards and Christmas gifts. TBCF helps these families give a memorable Christmas to their child facing pediatric cancer as well as their siblings. Hope seems to be the operative word this Holiday Season as expressed by one mother of a child with Cancer, Sheila Saldan.
“When we felt strong enough to reach out, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation was there to help us begin to heal,” said Saldan. “Teddy Bear gave us something other than the day-to day-fight against cancer, it gave us hope. Hope because there were other families out there going through the same things. Hope because they treated us not as Cancer parents, but as regular parents.”
In the coming week, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation will be delivering Christmas gifts and trees to over 53 families and 110 kids. Because of COVID-19 restrictions, volunteers will leave the gifts at the front door of each household at a pre-arranged time, ring the doorbell, and step safety back before family members open the door.
“This year has been particularly difficult and when you add COVID –19 on top of the already traumatic experience of having a child with cancer, you can only imagine how much more added stress these families are facing during the holiday season,” said Dr. Corey Pahanish, Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation’s Executive Director, “Season of Hope is going to alleviate some of that and give these families joyful memories during this time.”
Since the beginning of the pandemic, TBCF has:
– Provided over $7,000 in emergency grocery gift cards
– Awarded 37 families an additional $500 through their Special Circumstances Fund
– Doubled the number of family support groups
– Provided additional meals to 137 families
To bring hope and joy to families dealing with pediatric cancer this holiday season, please make a donation at: teddybearcancerfoundation.org
About Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation — Teddy Bear Cancer Foundation advocates for families living in Santa Barbara, Ventura and San Luis Obispo counties that have a child with cancer by providing financial, educational, and emotional support.