The cost of cancer treatment can be overwhelming. According to the National Cancer Institute, recently diagnosed cancer survivors spend nearly twice as much on annual out-of-pocket costs as those without a history of cancer, and many pay thousands each year. The situation is often worsened by having to work less during treatment, with earnings after diagnosis sometimes dropping by up to 40%. Up to a third of patients also take out loans or end up with medical debt. Focusing on medical bills can lead to struggles paying for other necessities, like pet care, and one organization is helping, one pet-owning patient at a time.

CancerCare, a national nonprofit offering emotional, practical, and financial support to cancer patients, caregivers, survivors, and the bereaved, provided more than 180,000 services in the fiscal year ending in June 2023. That included help on a toll-free number, 800-813-HOPE (4673), that connects callers to oncology social workers, along with workshops, counseling, support groups, and financial aid. The organization provided $81 million in financial and co-payment assistance to more than 28,000 people to help them cover costs related to transportation, cancer medications, and other practical needs that may fall by the wayside.

Nikki Molfetas, social worker at CancerCare, says, “The minute you get a diagnosis, there's all those medical bills. We do have a copayment department, as well, but along with copayment and medical bills, I would say a lot of times it's traveling. Not all the time is the hospital where they get treatment near their home, so they need financial assistance. We don't necessarily provide a car or a travel van, but we offer limited financial assistance, depending on different requirements.”

She says other basic needs are getting out of reach, too, adding, “A lot of times we hear about rent and how expensive rent could be or household bills, whether it's electric or phone, etcetera. Those are usually the primary needs, but nowadays food insecurity is a huge problem. As the cost of food, especially healthy food, continues to rise, more and more people can’t afford their groceries each week.”

That includes pet food, which is where the organization’s Pet Assistance & Wellness (PAW) Program comes in. In the most recent fiscal year, this program helped more than 1,300 patients cover needs that allowed them to keep their pet at home. As pets have been found to lower stress, reduce loneliness, and improve a person’s mood, their companionship can be especially impactful during such a difficult time.

However, a cancer diagnosis can make it difficult to provide financially for these important members of the family.

PAW Program Manager Brian Morvant says, “We did a survey earlier this year around February where we got a lot of really interesting data from some of our clients. We had about 87% of them say that costs were their biggest concern with caring for and keeping their pet, and we got some data that said prior to diagnosis, 93% said they could afford pet food, 91% said they could afford vet visits. But then, after their diagnosis, 77% said it was difficult or impossible to afford pet food, and 78% said it was difficult or impossible to afford vet visits. And that's what we see most people use our PAW Program financial assistance for is pet food and vet visits.”

This financial help can also cover costs including pet walking and sitting, boarding fees, and flea and heartworm prevention medications. In addition to this financial help, the program provides resources on caring for pets throughout a cancer journey, an online database of low-cost and free pet care services, and CancerCare’s overall emotional services and resources.

These resources can be necessary when overnight hospital stays or treatment further from home are required. During recovery or especially tiring portions of treatment, when going for a walk may be hard, it also ensures dogs can get their exercise while their human gets needed rest.

Keeping pets in the home may also help with recovery and staying strong.

Molfetas explains, “Not only do they offer unconditional love, but sometimes they motivate our clients. They have a lot of abilities taken away, whether it's being able to go to work or being able to socialize, or they have to isolate due to the treatment. But a pet, if it's a dog specifically, you have to take them out. You have to take them for those walks. You have to make sure you feed them and care for them, so it gives our clients an ability to find purpose and know that they're still doing something that they're still capable of, even though cancer took away so much from them.”

Morvant and Molfetas say that topics like pet care don’t tend to come up with the doctor when dealing with cancer treatment, as immediate health needs and survival are more of the focus. Pet owners may not always speak with their vet, either, about their own health issues and financial impacts that could make it difficult to cover pet care costs. The PAW Program advocates for conversations between patients and vets about payment plans, local pet food banks, or low-cost vaccine clinics.

These are important conversations, as the program’s survey showed 92% of patients feel their pet is very important to them, while 15% said they’d consider stopping or pausing treatment if it meant they could keep them. Program beneficiaries also often say that one of the reasons for this strong bond is the unconditional love of a pet, one that isn’t impacted by the stress of the situation, as can often happen with the humans we love.

Karen, who benefitted from the PAW Program along with her dog Winston, says, “Many dog owners understand the value of that snuggling, but when I was going through the worst part of the chemo and I was just lying on the couch not doing much of anything, Winston would jump up there, cuddle up with me. But it was also the puppy kisses and the looks in our eyes, and we were just communicating dead on. And I couldn't have made it through that treatment without that kind of love. I couldn't have done it without him.”

She adds, “Having help for Winston was just huge because I knew that he was going to be critical to my emotional support, and the donation… allowed us to do a couple of things. Most important, I was able to hire the neighbor girls that we met during our walks, and I paid them to help walk Winston a few times a day when I could not do it. And I tell you that was just huge for me and I really appreciate it.”

Molfetas says the services their organization provides, both with pets and other concerns, allow their team to serve as a support to the medical team, helping cancer patients through their journey in additional ways that may not be addressed in the doctor’s office. Emotional, financial, and informational topics can all be tackled together. She adds that even small donations, which can be made here, can go far. Those donation impacts are being noticed across the country, too, as the organization recently won the Human Animal Bond Innovation Award for Public Service, along with Meals on Wheels America.

Meanwhile, Morvant says that in addition to donations from those wanting to support cancer patients, they’d like to partner with companies and organizations that offer pet care and services to help expand what the PAW Program can offer to those they help. This could include pet food distributors who’d like to help with a pet food bank, or pet sitting or boarding companies willing to offer a discount to cancer patients. If your company or organization may be interested in teaming up with the PAW Program, you can email Morvant at bmorvant@cancercare.org.