Lung cancer is one of the most common and severe forms of cancer worldwide, and 45% of all lung cancer patients diagnosed with advanced disease. According to one study published in BMC Health Services Research states, costs in lung cancer patients receiving chemotherapy averaged $125,849 per patient. Out of total costs, 22% and 24% represented chemotherapy and other outpatient medication costs, respectively; other 34% and 20% of these costs represented outpatient and inpatient services costs, respectively.
You’ll hear many stories of individuals in Australia who have suffered from lung cancer and had high medical expenses to cover as a result. Treatments for lung cancer are not cheap and there are many patients who have experienced the financial burden first hand. Lung cancer patients who are newly diagnosed can expect an average cost of $16,910 for medical expenses. However, for the treatment of severe lung cancer costs can cross over $50,000. Although most medical expenses are covered by the Medicare system in Australia, patients can experience high medical costs if they are diagnosed with stage 3 or 4 lung cancer and require more extensive treatments than what is offered in their local hospital. For example, Australian patients may require to pay for accommodation costs, transport costs, carer costs and even increasing costs for healthier food options. Therefore, the demand of financial assistance options are increasing.
At PeoplePledge, we’ve witness firsthand Australian families who have had difficulties paying for non-medical and medical bills due to lung cancer. Here are a few tips and suggestions to help other families who may be experiencing a similar situation.
How to be successful in medical fundraising to pay for treatments for lung cancer
An online medical fundraising allows lung cancer patients to cover medical expenses they would not otherwise be able to cover. To raise money from supporters directly, medical fundraising offers a unique alternative for patients to quickly raise funds for the purpose to receive better medical treatment.
The way a medical fundraiser works is the patient can share their story with friends and family on fundraising websites across the world and promote their fundraiser to family and friends.
Learning about how medical fundraising has helped others can be a great way to get insider knowledge on how to fundraise for your own medical expenses. That’s why we looked at a range of patients and their stories dealing with lung cancer and found a few tips to help individuals to raise funds online for lung cancer expenses.
1. Do some homework to showcase your genuine need
Putting up a fundraising page is just not enough if yo really want it to be successful. There is a lot of work involved as your fundraising page is the only information you provide to friends and family. Add some basic information about yourself, such as your medical history, how much you need to rise and the impact of a donation to pay for treatments for lung cancer. Don’t forget to mention about your current financial situation as well as anything else related to your medical treatments that may be confusing or complicated to understand.
2. Make it easy for people to donate for lung cancer
Get the ball rolling by making a donation yourself. Be the first person and show social proof. Ask your close friends and relatives to donate first, because they are more likely to make a larger donation and will quickly support you. Adding your family photos or videos and personalized stories leverage the people to make a donation and help you to raise funds. You can also share them with social media and websites. This shows who you are and makes a real connection to supporters.
3. Keep your fundraiser up to date with the latest information
Keeping your fundraiser up to date helps supporters be in the know of what is happening. If changes have been made, break through and even set backs, it’s important to openly share these updates with supporters. Being vocal about this will help regain attention on a daily basis and help supporters be part of your lung cancer journey.
Get more tips by signing up for your free fundraising page at PeoplePledge. There are no fees to create and run a fundraiser on PeoplePledge and you’ll receive tips and resources to help you make a successful fundraiser to help pay for treatment for lung cancer.
References
1.Lung Cancer Fact Sheet: http://www.lung.org/lung-disease/lung-cancer/resources/facts-figures/lung-cancer-fact-sheet.html
2.Less costly to screen for, treat early-stage lung than to treat late-stage lung cancer: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/09/140924134937.htm
3.Healthcare costs in patients with metastatic lung cancer receiving chemotherapy: http://www.biomedcentral.com/content/pdf/1472-6963-11-305.pdf
4.Lung Cancer Financial Assistance: http://peoplepledge.org/blog/lung-cancer-financial-assistance/
5. Lung Cancer Resource Guide: http://www.onclive.com/_media/_pdf/LungCancerRG.pdf