The Ferrell Foundation, an Austin, Texas-based cancer support non-profit, donated $10,000 to support the Kidney Cancer Association’s (KCA) Patient Assistance Fund (PAF).
The PAF offers patients and families no-strings attached grants to relieve the financial burdens that accompany a kidney cancer diagnosis including treatment costs, transportation, and lodging. As the most common query among those who contact the KCA’s Patient Navigator Program for one-on-one guidance as well as a documented issue for people impacted by any type of cancer, the PAF addresses one of the cancer community’s most urgent needs.
“Part of our mission at the Ferrell Foundation is to improve the quality of life for patients and their families and this is the perfect avenue to accomplish that,” said John Ferrell, co-founder of the Ferrell Foundation and member of the KCA’s Patient & Caregiver Advisory Council (PCAC).
John and his wife Jennifer Ferrell co-founded their foundation in 2017 following cancer diagnoses for both – stage III renal cancer in 2010 for John and stage III breast cancer for Jennifer in 2013. John’s cancer later spread to his lungs and pancreas in 2017. Enrolling in clinical trials and maintaining a strong support network helped both John and Jennifer maintain their health and positive outlook.
They also felt called to help others facing cancer who don’t have access to resources or support the way they did.
“We have been blessed with an amazing support system and wanted to find a way to give back. The KCA has done an amazing job of providing support to patients, so we wanted to bolster that by supporting the PAF, which helps patients financially,” John said.
John is an active advocate within the kidney cancer community. He has been a member of the KCA’s PCAC since 2020 and through the KCA has advocated for federal research funding, been a speaker at KCA’s Virtual Patient Symposiums, and most recently, been a guest on the KCA’s new podcast, Kidney Cancer Unfiltered. John’s is also passionate about research and has been a consumer reviewer for kidney cancer research grants funded through the Department of Defense, the Kidney Cancer Association, and other institutions.
“I’m so grateful to have John and Jennifer as part of the KCA community,” said Gretchen E. Vaughan, KCA President and CEO. “Seeing how they’ve navigated their cancer journey and how it spurred them to go above and beyond to support others through resources like the Patient Assistance Fund, which is meant to lift those unforeseen burdens of kidney cancer for so many, is truly inspirational.”
Learn more about the PAF and how to apply for financial assistance.
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About the Ferrell Foundation
The Ferrell Foundation is focused on raising both money and awareness for the fight against cancer. Cancer directly affects the world in which we live today. Our prayer is to make living with cancer easier for those already affected by this disease and prevent it from impacting future generations by ultimately ending cancer in our lifetime. Our mission is to honor, inspire, and support all those affected by cancer by helping to fund research and improve the quality of life for patients and their families.
About the Kidney Cancer Association
The Kidney Cancer Association is a global community dedicated to serving and empowering patients and caregivers, and leading change through advocacy, research, and education in order to be the universal leader in finding the cure for kidney cancer. Founded in 1990 by Eugene P. Schonfeld and a small group of patients and doctors in Chicago, Illinois, the KCA has grown into an international non-profit organization based in Houston, Texas. The KCA promotes scientific advances through two annual research symposiums and a robust grant program, participates in legislative advocacy, and seeks to be a source of education and resources for patients, caregivers, and anyone impacted by kidney cancer.
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