Path to Relief Fund
Each year, thousands of families receive the heartbreaking news that a loved one has been diagnosed with a brain tumor. Beyond the emotional toll, the financial burden can be overwhelming. Costs for treatment, travel to receive care, and daily living can quickly become unmanageable.
To address these challenges, Head for the Cure has created the Path to Relief Fund. This program offers limited financial support to individuals diagnosed with primary malignant brain tumors. To ease the financial burden, approved funds may be used to pay for clinical trial or treatment-related airfare/lodging, or specific bills, such as rent or mortgage, utilities, medical expenses, and more. These grants are designed to help with essential expenses rather than replace regular income.
Program Details
Applications will be available December 1–10, 2025. Applications may close early if demand surges, and it will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
Please note: Checks are issued directly to vendors, not to patients or family members.
Eligibility Requirements: To qualify for assistance, the applicant must:
- Have a diagnosis of a primary malignant Central Nervous System (CNS) tumor (WHO 2021 classification).
- Reside in the United States or U.S. territories.
- Have a household income at or below 400% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines.
Grant Amount: Approved grants range from $100 to $1,000, depending on current fund availability and volume of applications.
Eligible Expenses Covered expenses include (but are not limited to):
- Primary Consideration will be for financial barriers to access clinical trials and treatment costs, including but not limited to:
- Airfare to/from treatment center
- Lodging for treatment/clinical trials
- Parking/Rideshare/Taxis
- Childcare
- Secondary Consideration:
- Rent/mortgage
- Medical Bills
- Utility/Internet/Cell Phone Bills
- Car Payments
Not Covered:
- Credit card debt
- Groceries
- Auto Gasoline
- Expenses without a bill
How to Apply
1. Start with Cancer Commons: We’ve collaborated with our Brain Tumor Support and Solution Alliance partner, Cancer Commons, to include an interest question for the Path to Relief Fund on their nurse navigator registration form. (Please note, Cancer Commons is not a funding partner in this program.)
2. Submit documentation: Upload your medical records through the HIPAA-compliant Cancer Commons registration form.
3. Receive your application: Once submitted, our Nurse Navigator will email you the official Path to Relief Fund application. Completed applications should be sent to courtney@headforthecure.org
For questions, please reach out to our Director of Programs & Communications, Courtney Watson, at courtney@headforthecure.org.
Founding Funders:
Give the Gift of Relief
If you would like to help make programs like the Path to Relief Fund possible, along with other initiatives by Head for the Cure, your support can make a real difference. It can mean the difference between facing treatment alone and facing it with the resources, care, and hope that families deserve.
