September is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

Kids all over Texas are headed back to class, but for the thousands of children battling childhood cancer, their families are planning doctors’ visits and hospitalizations. Heroes for Children (HFC), a Texas-based non-profit, helps families in these situations, understanding that a cancer diagnosis for one child affects the whole family.

HFC provides financial assistance to families to pay for expenses such as rent, utilities, gas, and car repairs. They also offer social assistance programs to benefit the families emotionally, including Movie Days, Holiday Heroes, and Valentine’s Dinner for the parents.

Larissa Linton co-founded HFC when her daughter, Taylor, lost her battle with leukemia. Larissa benefitted from an outpouring of support from family and friends during Taylor’s treatment, but saw other families in the same situation without any assistance. When a child is diagnosed with cancer, parents often have to leave their jobs, move the family, and struggle to pay everyday expenses. Siblings may be left with family members or friends while the parents are at the hospital, resulting in an emotional toll on all involved. Since 2004, Heroes for Children has assisted more than 3,000 Texas families with a child battling cancer.