become a nominator

FPS provides adult cancer patients, ages 21 to 55, and their caregivers with a unique respite experience. Our hope is to ease the burdens associated with the psychological, emotional, economic and spiritual trauma that inevitably accompanies a cancer diagnosis. Both the FPS Travel Respites and Staycation Respites are cost-free to families and provide care-free time between the patient and his/her loved ones.

Only healthcare professionals are permitted to nominate to our Travel Respite and Staycation Respite Programs.   All new nominators must undergo a brief in-service to learn about our mission and guidelines.  To request an in-service, please contact Pam Brumbaugh, Mission Coordinator, at 267.708.0510 or pam@takeabreakfromcancer.org or email our program team at program@takeabreakfromcancer.org.  Our Program team is also available to provide on-site presentations to Oncology Teams about our mission and guidelines. We are accepting nominations for our newly formed Staycation Respite program formally launched at the start of the pandemic.

If the nomination is initiated by the patient, we ask that you please confirm that the patient meets our mission and guidelines. Since we are a nonprofit organization, we ask that you nominate individuals who you feel truly meet our mission and our program eligibility criteria.

The criteria for our Travel Respite program include the following:

1. Patient must be between 21-55 years of age, nominated by a healthcare professional who is a member of the patient’s oncology team, and diagnosed with cancer by an oncologist.
2. Patient must have a cancer diagnosis between Stage I and Stage IV. Nonstaged cancers such as leukemia, myeloma and lymphoma are accepted. At our discretion, priority is given to advanced stage patients based upon funding and respite destination availability.
3. The patient has been in active treatment within the last six months. Active treatment includes chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation and/or surgery.
4. Patient must reside in DE, PA, NJ, NY, or MD.
5. Patient has not applied or received from another nonprofit a wish/respite/vacation in the last two years.
6. Patient must be able to travel within 120 days of nomination. The date and destination will be decided by the Program Committee.
7. Patient must have a primary adult caregiver available to travel on respite. Further, only immediate household family members of the patient are permitted on respite, if applicable.

The criteria for our Staycation Respite program include the following:

1. Patient must be between 21-55 years of age.
2. Patient must have an oncologist diagnosis of advanced stage cancer (Stages III and IV) and unable to travel.
3. Patient must be nominated by a health care professional who is a member of the patient’s oncology team.
4. Patient must be in active treatment within the last six months.  Active treatment includes chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation and/or surgery.
5. Patient must reside in DE, PA, NJ, NY or MD.
6. Patient must have an adult caregiver to participate in the staycation respite experience.
7. Patient must not have been a prior participant in the FPS Respite Program.

We look forward to collaboratively working with you to improve the lives of families facing cancer!  Join us!