Hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma
Information and Relief Efforts
ASBMT Will Add to Your Relief Donations
ASBMT has contributed $10,000 to the American Red Cross disaster relief fund.
For each member who contributes $200 or more to the relief funds of the American Red Cross, the Salvation Army or America’s Second Harvest, ASBMT will send an additional $100 donation to that same organization. Click here for details.
If half of ASBMT members respond to the appeal, the total donations from the blood and marrow community will exceed $200,000.
NMDP Support for BMT Patients and Clinicians
The National Marrow Donor Program is providing several kinds of assistance to BMT patients and clinicians in areas devastated by Hurricane Katrina:
- Assistance to evacuated patients to reconnect them to transplant-related services.
- Support and resources for BMT centers and patients, including those who were conducting registry searches at the time of the disaster.
- Assistance to physicians who have assumed the care of displaced patients to connect them to the specialized medical resources required for bone marrow or cord blood transplant.
The NMDP Office of Patient Advocacy case managers are available to assist displaced patients to address issues including cultural and language barriers or financial and insurance problems. Patients, their caregivers and physicians can contact NMDP case managers for assistance at (888) 999-6743.
Financial Assistance for Cancer Patients
The Patient Advocate Foundation has a Hurricane Assistance Fund Grant to help cancer patients who have been displaced due to Hurricane Katrina. The patients have to be in active treatment. The fund helps with expenses for housing (rent, hotel, lodging), transportation to treatment and medications. More information is available on the organization’s Web site or call Courtney Jones at (800) 532-5274 ext. 109.
CancerCare is providing financial assistance to patients and families who are managing cancer treatment along with the disruption of the hurricanes. Up to $2,500 is available per family for cancer treatment and supportive care, durable medical equipment, home care, child care transportation and lodging. Patients can call (800) 813-4673. Medical professionals with questions may call Jane Levy, director of patient assistance, at (212) 712-8356. The funds are being provided by the American Society for Clinical Oncology, the Lance Armstrong Foundation, and the Komen Foundation.
Medical Personnel Needed
The federal government is mobilizing health care professionals and relief personnel to assist in Hurricane Katrina relief efforts.
The HHS Office of Public Health Emergency Preparedness is in the process of identifying and mobilizing health care professionals and relief personnel. For information or to provide assistance, call (800) 528-6334 or go to the HHS Hurricane Katrina Web site.
Gift Cards for Katrina Evacuees
Purchase a $25 gift card online for a hurricane and flood victim. The BMT InfoNet patient support organization has teamed up with a New Orleans transplant survivor to buy WalMart gift cards for evacuee families in rural Louisiana. Click here for more information and online donation.
Job Bank for Katrina Survivors
ASBMT is participating in KatrinaJobRelief.com, an online job board serving Katrina victims by helping them find work opportunities. This service is free to both job seekers and employers.
- If you have a job opportunity, temporary or permanent, please post it to the job board. Or, if you know of someone who has job openings, please alert them to the Web site.
- If you know of anyone who needs work because of a job loss related to the hurricane, please make them aware of this service.
Other important Web Sites
This page will have new developments and information
as it becomes available.