U-Link Patient and Family Fund
Home / Childhood Cancer / U-Link Patient and Family Fund
The U-Link Patient and Family Fund is designed to help remove financial barriers when accessing clinical trials and care for childhood and young adult cancer patients living in Canada. Given that Canada is an expansive country, patients and families may be required to travel great distances to access clinical trials and care. Recognizing this unique challenge, Kindred Foundation and the Phoebe Rose Rocks Committee created the U-Link Patient and Family Fund as part of the larger U-Link.care initiative.
The U-Link Patient and Family Fund is proudly supported and run by Kindred Foundation and Phoebe Rose Rocks. We provide funding to patients and families to help with travel costs when accessing treatment for a child or young adult with cancer.
What is the U-Link Patient and Family Fund?
The U-Link Patient and Family Fund is a financial program available to families across Canada who must travel to access clinical trials (any phase) for children, adolescents, and young adults with cancer. You can read more about U-Link in a SickKids article from May 2023.
Who is eligible?
Your child/patient must be:
1. Diagnosed with cancer or a cancer predisposition syndrome (e.g., Li-Fraumeni).
2. Under 30 years of age and live in Canada.
3. Enrolled on an interventional clinical trial, meeting all eligibility criteria. Can be following a clinical trial or enrolled on a single-patient study. Travel to the US for proton beam radiation is supported.
4. Required to travel 150 km or more to access care (exceptions are considered). Travel can be within the province, across provinces, or to another country.
For more information, please see the Frequently Asked Questions. Exceptions are considered. If you are unsure if you meet the eligibility criteria, please contact us.
How to apply for funding
To apply for the U-Link Patient and Family Fund, please fill out the form below. If you need any help, please contact us and we would be happy to assist you.
What happens next?
All applications will be reviewed as soon as possible by a committee established by Kindred Foundation and the Phoebe Rose Rocks Foundation. Any information you share with us is confidential and will only be shared with the committee.
After we receive your application, we will contact your Social Worker or a member of your Care Team that you identify in the form below. We will confirm that your application meets the eligibility criteria listed above. We may also need to follow up with the Lead Investigator of the clinical trial. When we have made a decision, we will contact you as soon as possible.
How long will this fund be available?
This will be an ongoing fund provided by Kindred Foundation and the Phoebe Rose Rocks Foundation.
What funding is provided?
Up to $2,000 CAD per year is provided to families who qualify for the U-Link Patient and Family Fund.
For more information about clinical trials for children with cancer, please visit the U-Link.care website. You can also review the presentation slides from a webinar on U-Link and the U-Link Patient and Family Fund (conducted in February 2022). If you have any questions, please contact us. If you would prefer to fill out the application form on paper, a PDF version is available.