About Us | What We Do
Staycation Respite Program
Staycation Mission
For advanced-stage cancer patients unable to travel, For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation (FPS) provides Staycation Respite Packages, offering comfort, connection, and relief at home. Each package includes resources to support the emotional, psychosocial, financial, and spiritual needs of the patient, caregiver, and family.
Families receive a cash stipend to create meaningful moments through a shared meal, activity, or experience close to home. The therapeutic benefits mirror those of our Travel Respite Program, ensuring respite is accessible regardless of location.
Since launching this initiative, FPS has provided dozens of Staycation Respite Packages, helping families find peace and connection during a challenging time.
Inquiries and Nominations
We are currently accepting nominations to this program from oncology professionals; if you are interested, please get in touch with us at program@takeabreakfromcancer.org so we can schedule a quick in-service and provide you with the nomination materials or click one of the buttons below to submit an inquiry form.
The criteria for our Staycation Respite program include the following:
- Patient must be between 21-55 years of age.
- Patient must have an oncologist diagnosis of advanced stage cancer (Stages III and IV) and unable to travel.
- Patient must be nominated by a health care professional who is a member of the patient’s oncology team.
- Patient must be in active treatment within the last six months. Active treatment includes chemotherapy, immunotherapy, radiation and/or surgery.
- Patient must reside in DE, PA, NJ, NY or MD.
- Patient must have an adult caregiver to participate in the staycation respite experience.
- Patient must not have been a prior participant in the FPS Respite Program.
Interested nominators must undergo a brief in-service to nominate a patient for the Staycation Program. Once completed, the nominators will assess their patients and be able to nominate advanced-stage patients for our Staycation Program by completing the required Staycation nomination forms. All Staycation packages are mailed within two weeks of the accepted nomination, as time is usually critical.
A new nominator, Megan Cannone of Anne Arundel Medical Center in Maryland, provided the following testimonial.
Dear FPS,
I’ll do anything to help your organization.
I wanted to thank you from the bottom of my heart for the staycation package you put together for the Clayton family. She was heartbroken that she wasn’t able to travel due to the rapid progression of her cancer, but so thankful for the care package you all provided. Samantha transferred to an inpatient hospice house from the hospital and didn’t even get a chance to go home. Your package provided items that brought her comfort and the money was used to not only buy a few necessities for her son, but other items such as games, to make memories and hopefully make her end of life transition just a little more peaceful. You are an incredible resource and foundation. Thank you, thank you.
Warm Regards,
Megan Cannone, LCSW-C, OPN-CG
How Can You Help?
We are looking for help to increase our supplies and build meaningful Staycation Respite packages. If you own a business or work for a company that might be able to provide in-kind goods for our packages, please email program@takeabreakfromcancer.org. We also welcome any monetary support for general donations.
