We’re Here for You
As part of Camp Rainbow Gold’s mission to serve children with cancer diagnoses and their families, we’ve compiled resources, answers to frequently asked questions, and opportunities to share our mission — all easy to find and use.
How Can We Help?
Additional Resources
Beyond Camp Rainbow Gold is a nationwide network of support at your fingertips. From here, you can access childhood cancer organizations, resources and support for parents and siblings of children with cancer, financial resources for cancer patients, scholarships, support groups and camps.
Childhood Cancer Organizations
Click here for national, regional and local organizations specifically dedicated to helping children who have been diagnosed with cancer.
| American Childhood Cancer Organization | The ACCO (formerly Candlelighters) is one of America’s largest grassroots charity organizations providing relief, support, awareness and advocacy for children with cancer. |
| Alex’s Lemonade Stand Foundation | True to its name, ALSF was founded by Alexandra “Alex” Scott, who raised $2,000 with a lemonade stand when she was diagnosed with neuroblastoma as a child. She sought to donate the money to find a cure, and, since then, ALSF has raised over $150 million and funded nearly 1,000 research projects to help fight childhood cancer. ALSF also writes, updates and publishes Childhood Cancer Guides. |
| Band of Parents | In the effort to increase the survival rate for children with cancer, this nonprofit raises money to fund research and clinical trials for innovative neuroblastoma treatments. |
| Bear Necessities | This nonprofit focuses on two programs to help children with pediatric cancer: “Bear Hugs” and “Bear Discoveries.” A Bear Hug is a unique experience customized to each child, while the Discoveries program raises funds to find a cure for pediatric cancer. |
| Camp Rainbow Gold | Camp Rainbow Gold celebrates life by helping children diagnosed with cancer and their families participate in positive and potentially life-changing camp experiences. |
| Cure the Kids: The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation | A leading nonprofit dedicated to funding research on pediatric brain tumors and providing support for children diagnosed with brain tumors. Cure the Kids provides many free services to children and their families, including emergency financial assistance. |
| Brian Morden Foundation | In honor of Brian Morden, who battled Ewing’s Sarcoma for two years, this foundation funds Ewing’s Sarcoma and childhood cancer research, in addition to providing “pick-me-ups” and support. |
| The Childhood Brain Tumor Foundation | An all-volunteer organization raising funds, heightening awareness, and improving quality of life for children with brain tumors. |
| Childhood Leukemia Foundation | The Childhood Leukemia Foundation has a number of programs to help anyone under the age of 21 diagnosed with cancer, including Wish Baskets delivered to kids in more than 250 hospitals nationwide. |
| Hope Portal | The Hope Portal is a curated, community-driven directory of the best organizations and resources in childhood cancer. |
| I’m Too Young for This | Stupid Cancer is a nonprofit organization that empowers young adults affected by cancer through innovative and award-winning programs and services. They are the nation’s largest support community for this underserved population and serve as a bullhorn for the young adult cancer movement. |
| The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society | The Leukemia & Lymphoma Society (LLS) is the world’s largest voluntary (nonprofit) health organization dedicated to funding blood cancer research and providing education and patient services. |
| Make-A-Wish | Since 1980, the Make-A-Wish Foundation has enriched the lives of children with life-threatening medical conditions through its wish-granting work. The Foundation’s mission reflects the life-changing impact that a Make-A-Wish experience has on children, families, referral sources, donors, sponsors and entire communities. |
| National Cancer Institute | The National Cancer Institute (NCI) is the Federal Government’s principal agency for cancer research and training. Over the years, legislative amendments have maintained the NCI and added new research mandates as well as a requirement to assess state-of-the-art cancer treatments for clinical practice. |
| St Luke’s Children’s Hospital | As Idaho’s only children’s hospital, St. Luke’s is dedicated to the highest quality, most compassionate care for all children and their families. |
| St Luke’s Mountain State Tumor Institute (MSTI) Pediatric Department | St. Luke’s MSTI cares for more than 200 new pediatric patients each year, from infants through young adults. The Pediatric Oncology team works closely with young patients and their families to provide support and education. The team is committed to making treatment as comfortable as possible, enabling parents to focus on caring for their child and allowing the patient to heal and just be a kid. |
| Trevor’s Trek | Trevor’s Trek Foundation is committed to eradicating preventable childhood cancer and other chronic illnesses in children related to exposure from environmental toxins. |
| Wishing Star | Established in 1983, Wishing Star Foundation grants wishes to children with life-threatening illnesses between the ages of 3 and 21, living in Eastern and Central Washington and Idaho. A child does not need to be terminal to qualify for a wish. |
Resources & Support for Parents
Parents of children diagnosed with cancer face a struggle impossible to put into words. Don’t go through it alone; these organizations are here to help.
| American Cancer Society | Visit the ACS website to find out about a variety of ways to help cover cancer-related expenses. |
| Compassion Can’t Wait | Compassion Can’t Wait helps single parent families with urgent expenses. The goal is to allow single parents to be at their child’s bedside when the child needs them most. |
| Courageous Parents Network | Created by parents for parents, CPN offers education, community, and advocacy to help give parents the information, skills, tools, and support they need during and after their child’s battle with cancer. |
| Family Reach | Family Reach provides financial navigation, planning, and assistance. Family Reach offers a “solutions-driven model” that “bridges the gap between hospital and home, quickly providing the vital support families need to stay afloat.” |
| FindHelp Idaho | FindHelp Idaho is a free, confidential online service you can use to locate housing assistance, food pantries, medical care, transportation, and more. FindHelp Idaho is part of Findhelp, the leading national search and referral platform of social service organizations providing a safe, secure, and effective website for individuals and community-based organizations to connect with social services. |
| Helping Hands Fund | Part of the Children’s Cancer Recovery Foundation, the Helping Hands Fund provides “bridge payments” directly to utility companies and landlords so that your child can have a safe and warm place to call home while in recovery. |
| Live Like Bella | The Live Like Bella Childhood Cancer Foundation assists families with medical co-pays and basic needs, including gas, food and utilities. |
| Max Love Project | This unique project’s mission is to empower families with “fierce foods, whole-body wellness resources, education and research.” |
| Momcology | Momcology helps primary caregivers connect to peer support, access updated information, and begin the long-term journey to healing that is oh-so-important for parents affected by childhood cancer. |
| National Cancer Institute: Support for Families When a Child Has Cancer | This page provides information on how to talk with your child about cancer, some common questions from parents and children, coping skills information, information about supporting the cancer patient’s siblings, and information on working with your child’s healthcare team. |
| Ohana-Oasis | Providing a week of peace and restoration, a space for parents to begin the journey of rediscovering joy in life after the death of a child. |
| Pinky Swear Envelope Program | Offers financial assistance to help parents pay for rent, mortgages, car payments and repairs, as well as groceries, gas, childcare and more. |
| Rett’s Roost | Provides retreat weeks and weekends where parents and families can heal and find a haven of peace and love. |
| Ronald McDonald House | Helping a sick child fight their illness takes a big emotional toll on a family. Adding a financial strain can make it all almost too much to bear. RMHC can help address those problems, whether they involve finding housing near a hospitalized child, the expense of staying together in another city, or even getting basic medical and dental care in a vulnerable community. |
| Shinecology | Shinecology was co-founded by two moms who had been directly affected by pediatric cancer when their sons were diagnosed. Connecting families of newly diagnosed pediatric patients to each other and their resources. We create a network of support to aid in the transition to life after diagnosis and beyond. |
Siblings of Children with Cancer
A cancer diagnosis can affect a child’s siblings in a variety of ways, in both the short and long-term. These organizations are dedicated to making sure siblings receive the support and information that will be invaluable to them for the rest of their lives.
| Camp Rainbow Gold Sibling Camp | At the Camp Rainbow Gold Sibling Camp, siblings of children diagnosed with cancer get the chance to bond with each other for support and fun. Here, siblings make positive lifelong memories as they share a stress-free camp experience. |
| Compassion Can’t Wait | In addition to funding for single parents, Compassion Can’t Wait includes funding for sibling activities. |
| Kids Kicking Cancer | Kids Kicking Cancer Heroes Circle pairs pediatric inpatients, outpatients, and their siblings with black belt martial artists who teach them breathing, visualization, relaxation and traditional martial arts techniques. Through Heroes Circle, siblings learn empowerment. |
| On Belay | On Belay is all about adventure programs for children in families threatened by cancer. This is a community in which siblings can have fun and immerse themselves in activities, such as rock climbing, to help them cope with the trauma of cancer. |
| One Summit | Kids dealing with pediatric cancer and their siblings get the chance to learn from a Navy SEAL. Experiential learning takes the form of indoor rock climbing, and the SEALs mentor children through storytelling and community engagement. |
| Super Sibs | SuperSibs! is a national nonprofit organization ensuring that siblings of children with cancer are supported, honored and recognized to help them redefine the cancer experience to face the future with strength, courage and hope. |
Financial Resources for Cancer Patients
Many families need financial assistance to help with the cost of medical bills and recovery and many resources are available to provide help and support.
| Angel Flight | Angel Flight was created by a group of pilots who believe in the benefit of volunteering. They arrange free air transportation for charitable, medically related needs. |
| CancerCare | CancerCare offers limited financial assistance for children with all cancer diagnoses who are in active treatment. Visit CancerCare’s list of financial assistance sources and its database of organizations that can provide financial help in your area. |
| Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition | CFAC is 14 organizations helping cancer patients manage their financial challenges. |
| Community Cancer Services | Community Cancer Services provides financial and emotional assistance to Bonner and Boundary County residents in Idaho. |
| HealthWell Foundation | HealthWell is dedicated to helping patients who can’t cover the cost of care through health insurance alone. To date, the Foundation has paid over $1.25 billion in grants, and on average, 99 cents out of every dollar goes directly to patients. |
| Idaho Health Plan for Children | The Children’s Health Insurance Plan (CHIP) is a low-cost health coverage program for children under age 19 whose family income is too high to qualify for Medicaid. |
| Leukemia and Lymphoma Society | The LLS has a variety of financial aid programs, including help with insurance co-payments and prescriptions, and an Urgent Need program for pediatric patients. |
| Morrison Knudsen Foundation | It is the mission of Morrison Knudsen Foundation, Inc. to provide one-time assistance for basic necessities to individuals demonstrating appropriate need in Boise/Treasure Valley, the location of the Foundation’s origin. |
| National Foundation for Transplants | The NFT helps “close the gap” by offering financial assistance for patients in need of an organ transplant, including help with hospital bills and deposits, pharmacy costs, insurance premiums, as well as travel, food and lodging expenses and post-transplant expenses. |
| Triage Cancer | You can use Triage Cancer and The Samfund’s Cancer Finances toolkit to find financial information and resources. |
Scholarships for Cancer Survivors
College can be an important part of any survivor’s journey. Here are some great scholarships for children who have been diagnosed with cancer, children who are in recovery, as well as cancer survivors.
| Brian Morden Memorial Scholarship | This $1,000 scholarship is for people “who have a fascination with technology and a love of music.” Special consideration is given to cancer survivors. |
| Cancer for College | Founded by cancer survivor and amputee Craig Pollard, the Cancer for College is a charity that says it has awarded over “1,400 scholarships and more than $3 million to low-income, high achieving cancer survivors.” |
| Camp Rainbow Gold College Scholarship Program | The Camp Rainbow Gold scholarship offers students up to $5,000 increments per year for full or part-time education with a possible lifetime award of up to $20,000 per student. |
| Cancer Survivors’ Fund | Applicant must be a cancer survivor or diagnosed with cancer, but they don’t have to be in treatment to qualify. The Cancer Survivors’ Fund selects recipients based on personal hardship and financial need. |
| Eagles Fly for Leukemia | This is a full-ride scholarship for either Saint Joseph’s University or Drexel University. |
| Patient Advocate Foundation | This $3,000 per year scholarship lasts for four consecutive years and is for patients who have been diagnosed with or treated for cancer. |
| Ulman Foundation | The Ulman Foundation offers a $2,500 scholarship to cancer survivors between 15 and 39, or those who have been affected by the a loved one’s diagnosis. |
Support Groups for Children with Cancer
Support groups have the potential to impact children with cancer in so many ways. The value of community is immeasurable, and emotional support goes a long way toward assisting with recovery. Here are some fantastic support groups for childhood cancer patients.
| Survivors Supporting Survivors | Survivors Supporting Survivors (SSS) is a teen support group designed for cancer survivors between the ages of 13-18 years old. The group meets multiple times throughout the year in the Boise, Idaho, area to provide education, support, resources and fun. |
| Boise Blood Cancer Support Group | With meetings every first Tuesday of the month, this support group is for people of all ages affected by a blood cancer diagnosis and will provide the opportunity to discuss concerns, anxieties, feelings related to illness, treatment and other related issues. |
| Corwyn’s Cause | Formerly known as Lucas House, Corwyn’s Cause offers family events, lawn care, “character visits,” support groups, uplifting care, housecleaning, meal service, snow removal, and other resources for families. |
| Inspire | An online support group and forum by the American Childhood Cancer Organization where the newly diagnosed and those suffering from a variety of cancers discuss a variety of things, including resources, treatment, family support, siblings, surgery and long-term effects. |
| St. Luke’s Living Through Cancer Support Group | This group is for anyone diagnosed with cancer, as well as their caregivers and family members. It meets in Nampa, ID every Thursday of the week. |
Camp Resources
Camps take the idea of a support group one step further by empowering your child through activities, counseling and community. This section also includes recreational outlets for children with cancer.
| Camp Perkins | Within this setting of the Sawtooth Mountains National Forest’s pristine mountain lakes, babbling creeks and inspiring ridges of granite peaks, you will find the comfort of Camp Perkins’ facilities. It is marked by the excellence of its programs, the exciting recreation of the lakes and meadows, and a friendly staff. |
| Camp Rainbow Gold | The premiere camp for children diagnosed with cancer, their siblings and their parents, Camp Rainbow Gold has family camps, oncology camps for kids and teens, as well as sibling camp. |
| Cathedral Pines | Cathedral Pines is a scenic, semi-rustic camp located in the Sawtooth mountains of central Idaho, 14 miles outside the Ketchum/Sun Valley area. Open year-round, this camp specializes in youth camping, serving church camps, schools, special needs camps and theater groups. |
| River Discovery | River Discovery provides free, adventurous, multi-day wilderness rafting programs on the Salmon River for cancer survivors. |
| Higher Ground Sun Valley | Higher Ground Sun Valley enhances quality of life through inclusive therapeutic recreation and education for people of all abilities. As a positive and visible fixture in the adaptive recreation industry, its programs give individuals with disabilities the opportunity to experience competition and the outdoors without limitations. |
| Treasure Valley YMCA | At the Treasure Valley Y, children and teens learn values and positive behaviors as they’re encouraged to explore their unique interests and gifts. This makes for confident kids today and contributing adults tomorrow. |
| American Camp Association | The American Camp Association is a community of camp professionals who, for 100 years, have joined together to share knowledge and experience and to ensure the quality of camp programs. Because of its diverse 9,000 plus membership and exceptional programs, children and adults have the opportunity to learn powerful lessons in community, character-building, skill development, and healthy living — lessons that can be learned nowhere else. |
| COCA | Children’s Oncology Camps of America is a non-profit organization with a mission to strengthen the international community of camps for children with cancer and their families through networking, advocacy, and education. C.O.C.A., was founded by a dozen pioneer oncology camps who found the lives of children with cancer were immeasurably enhanced by camping and believed a forum should be created to share their ideas and experiences. C.O.C.A. currently consists of almost 130 member camps from the United States and Canada. |
Have another resource we should share with our families?
Contact us at info@camprainbowgold.org.