The goal of the Dale Swift Fund is to help Iowa Cancer patients with the little things (and occasionally big things) during their cancer journey. We specifically strive to identify those patients whose means are not great, or whose support group is limited, as these patients are both vulnerable and at particularly high risk for unnecessary (and preventable) suffering. Dale Swift Fund assistance comes to patients in the form of cash gifts, gift cards, gas cards, travel assistance, and supplies for help with treatment and tumor related symptoms.
As opposed to many large corporate philanthropies with expenses, mailings and salaries that dilute donations, 100% of monies contributed are used for patient needs. There are no administrative or overhead costs whatsoever. We receive ongoing donations from several sources … family, friends, patients as well as anonymous gifts!
The Fund receives suggestions from nurses and radiation staff who participate in the daily care of these individuals. All gifts are specifically identified as being donated from the Dale Swift Fund – not from any specific provider.
Below are just a few people we’ve been able to help this year…
- A 45 year old single mother from east Des Moines with breast cancer.
- A 75 year old grandmother from Des Moines with advanced progressive lymphoma
- A 44 year old mother of young children with progressive gynecological cancer from southern Iowa. Her need was identified while she was still battling. Sadly, she passed before the holidays. Nonetheless, her family was given the gift card in Moms’ memory.
- A 36 year old lady with recurrent gynecological cancer from eastern Iowa.
- A young man with an incurable brain tumor from northern Iowa, he lost his struggle after the holidays.
- A 56 year old man with advanced rectal cancer from northern Iowa
- A 23 year old college student from western Iowa with lymphoma
- A 46 year old mother and grandmother from southern Iowa with advanced lung cancer. A gift card in her memory was sent to her family for Christmas.
- A 40 year old single father of young children from southern Iowa with an advanced brain tumor, his late wife is deceased.
- A 52 year single old man from northern Iowa with voice box cancer.
- A 45 year old mother from southern Iowa with rectal cancer.
- A 65 year old single man from western Iowa with advanced kidney cancer
- A 53 year old single mother from southern Iowa with challenging recurrence of breast cancer.
In addition two families were selected by our staff, and “adopted” by the Swift family;
A 35 year old single mother of two from eastern Iowa with breast cancer … they received personally selected gifts to make for a very special Christmas morning. Also, a 30 year old single mother of several children from central Iowa with a rare tumor. They received an entire wish-list of clothing and helpful items, hand-picked by the Swift clan.
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