The American Cancer Society Awards $20,000 Lodging Grant to VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System

The grant is one of 90 nationwide lodging grants totaling over $3.3 million awarded by the American Cancer Society in 2022.  Based on assistance provided through previous grant funding, these grants will provide over 9,000 nights of free lodging. 

For patients with cancer, lodging expenses can present a significant financial barrier when the most effective treatment requires traveling away from home.  Many people need daily or weekly treatment, often for several months.

“This generous grant will help us further meet the needs for our Veterans and their caregivers to provide them the necessary support they need during a time of healing,” said Dr. Ginny L. Creasman, Director, VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System.

In 2022, more than 1.9 million new cancer cases will be diagnosed in the United States. In a large national study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute (JNCI) in April, American Cancer Society researchers found U.S. cancer survivors who reported medical financial hardship had a higher mortality risk.

“The financial burden of cancer treatment directly contributes to disparities in cancer outcomes,” said Dr. Kathy Goss, regional vice president of Cancer Support for the American Cancer Society.  “We’re working to increase access and remove barriers to timely, high-quality cancer care.  Providing these grants directly to local health systems and partners allows us to deliver assistance directly to patients when and where it’s need most.”

From 1991 to 2019, there has been a 32% decline in cancer mortality. The American Cancer Society can directly attribute declines in the overall cancer death rate to investment of funds and resources in the areas of advocacy, discovery, and direct patient support. All people should have a fair and just opportunity to live a longer, healthier life free from cancer regardless of how much money they make, skin color, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability status or where they live.

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About the American Cancer Society

The American Cancer Society is on a mission to free the world from cancer. We invest in lifesaving research, provide 24/7 information and support, and work to ensure that individuals in every community have access to cancer prevention, detection, and treatment. For more information, visit cancer.org.

About VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System

VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System (VAAAHS) provides state-of-the-art healthcare services to Veterans at seven locations of care in southeast Michigan and northwest Ohio. VAAAHS is a major tertiary care national and regional referral center and provides care at the Community-based Outpatient Clinics (CBOC) in Adrian, Canton, Flint, Jackson, and Toledo. The Medical Center campus includes the hospital, outpatient clinics, community living center, a radiation therapy facility, Fisher House, two research buildings, five administrative outbuildings, two parking garages, and an energy center. The facility includes state-of-the-art ambulatory care clinics, operating rooms, cardiac catheterization suite, intensive care units, laboratory, and diagnostic facilities.

 

Brian Hayes, Communications Director

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