American Childhood Cancer Organization Inland Northwest

TO EDUCATE, SUPPORT, SERVE AND ADVOCATE FOR FAMILIES OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER, SURVIVORS OF CHILDHOOD CANCER AND THE PROFESSIONALS WHO CARE FOR THEM.

PATIENT SERVICES:A CHILDHOOD CANCER DIAGNOSIS IS A FRIGHTENING, STRESSFUL, AND CONFUSING TIME. EVEN THE STRONGEST FAMILY FOUNDATIONS ARE CHALLENGED. LESS SECURE FOUNDATIONS CAN SOMETIMES BE SHATTERED. ACCOIN ADDRESSES THE SOCIAL, PSYCHOLOGICAL, AND FINANCIAL NEEDS OF CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND THEIR FAMILIES BY PROVIDING VIRTUAL AND HANDS-ON SUPPORT THROUGH EDUCATIONAL MATERIALS, SUPPORT GROUPS, STRESS REDUCING ACTIVITIES, PRACTICAL SUPPLIES TO ASSIST WITH HOSPITAL LIFE, AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. IN OUR ACCOIN DATABASE FOR THE 2020/2021 FISCAL YEAR, WE HAD 609 FAMILIES WE SERVE WITH 515 CHILDHOOD CANCER SURVIVORS AND 98 CHILDREN WHO HAVE PASSED AWAY. THERE ARE 2,389 INDIVIDUAL MEMBERS THAT INCLUDE THE PARENTS AND SIBLINGS. OUR OFFICE LOCATED AT SACRED HEART CHILDRENS HOSPITAL IN SPOKANE WAS REQUESTED TO REMAIN OPEN FROM THE BEGINNING OF THE PANDEMIC AND CONTINUES TO SERVE A VALUABLE ROLE AS WE PARTNER WITH THE HOSPITAL STAFF TO BRING RESOURCES TO OUR VERY SPECIAL CONSTITUENTS.

PARTIES AND SPECIAL EVENTS:WITH COVID BEING A MAJOR FACTOR IN THE HEALTH AND SAFETY OF OUR KIDS AND FAMILIES, ACCOIN UTILIZED VIRTUAL OPTIONS TO BRING FAMILIES (IN-TREATMENT, POST-TREATMENT, AND BEREAVED) TOGETHER. IN THIS SAFE SETTING, THEY CAN SHARE, LEARN AND SUPPORT EACH OTHER. ACCOIN OFFERS THE ASSURANCE WITH REAL-LIFE EXAMPLES THAT FAMILIES CAN PROGRESS AND EVEN BECOME STRONGER THROUGH CHILDHOOD CANCER TREATMENTS AND BEYOND. SPECIAL VIRTUAL EVENTS WERE ORGANIZED TO PROVIDE A MUCH-NEEDED SOCIAL NETWORK FOR FAMILIES. THEY BENEFIT SOCIALLY, PSYCHOLOGICALLY, AND EMOTIONALLY BY GATHERING INFORMALLY WITH OTHER CHILDREN AND FAMILIES WHO UNIQUELY UNDERSTAND THE CHALLENGES AND LONG-TERM EFFECTS OF A CHILDHOOD CANCER DIAGNOSIS. APPROXIMATELY 2/3 OF CHILDREN WILL FACE SOME DEGREE OF LATENT EFFECTS FROM THE TREATMENTS THEY RECEIVE.

PROGRAMS:SPECIAL PROGRAMS HELD VIRTUALLY ENHANCED THE LIVES OF CANCER PATIENTS AND THEIR FAMILIES THROUGH VARIOUS AVENUES. OUR PROGRAMS ADDRESS THE NEEDS OF A DIVERSE SET OF OUR POPULATION THAT INCLUDES TEENS, SIBLINGS, BEREAVED FAMILIES, AND VOLUNTEERS FROM ALL ETHNIC AND SOCIO-ECONOMIC BACKGROUNDS. FAMILIES BECOME EMPOWERED THROUGH CHILDHOOD CANCER AWARENESS EFFORTS. ADDITIONALLY, TEENAGERS WITH CANCER BENEFIT FROM EVENTS AND MEETINGS TO HELP REDUCE ISOLATION AS WELL AS ADDRESS THE ISSUES UNIQUE TO THAT AGE GROUP. SIBLING SUPPORT IS PROVIDED TO LET SIBLINGS KNOW THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN AMIDST MEDICAL TREATMENT, DOCTOR VISITS, AND ILLNESS.