A blood cancer diagnosis extremely stressful. But add in the costs related to care, and that stress is compounded substantially affecting the patient’s ability to receive care and properly recover. That is where the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society’s (LLS) Local Financial Assistance (LFA) Fund comes in.
Funding for the LLS LFA is made possible in part by the Tony Cook and Dental Care Plus Group (DCPG) Memorial Fund. DCPG has been a DentaQuest Company since June 2021 and is now part of Sun Life U.S. The program is available to blood cancer patients who reside in designated counties in Northern KY and Southwest Ohio and then overall in KY and OH. The program provides a grant of $500 per recipient in each geographical area to assist with cancer-related expenses including food, clothing, housing, utilities, transportation, lodging and acute dental work.
This fund was created in honor of former DCPG president and chief executive officer, Tony Cook, who passed away in August 2019 after a courageous, hard-fought battle with cancer. Tony was enthusiastic about growing DCPG and was known for his innovative, inspirational leadership. He served on the board of the National Association of Dental Plans (NADP) where he volunteered in various capacities for several years. Tony was a mentor, advocate, coach and friend to many at DentaQuest and DCPG, and we are honored to continue his legacy through this fund.
The most recent iteration of the overall program opened in March 2022 and closed to applications in December 2022. During that time, 40 patients – six pediatric and 34 adults – were aided and a total of $20,000 was provided in assistance. 
The following is a breakdown of those assisted:
|
Kentucky Local · 10 patients assisted:
· 70% report income < $40,000 |
Northern Kentucky · 10 patients assisted: · 60% report income <$40,00 |
|
Ohio Local · 10 patients assisted:
· 60% report income < $40,000 |
Southwest Ohio · 10 patients assisted: · 70% report income < $40,000 |
Guided by our joint mission to improve the oral health of all, DentaQuest and DCPG prioritizes corporate citizenship and supports over 100 organizations in 21 states. We are proud to assist underserved communities and to address systemic inequities that exist in our health care system. We fund organizations that break down the barriers to accessing care, connect underserved communities with resources, and invest in pathways for a dental-care workforce that reflects the communities they serve.
The mission of the LLS is to cure leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin’s disease and myeloma, and improve the quality of life of patients and their families. Find out more at lls.org.
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