The Launch of Our NEW Resource Hub for Childhood Cancer Families
When your child is in treatment, you’re juggling so much at once — appointments, medications, long hospital days, school schedules, and the emotional load that comes with all of it. Families are often handed resource sheets, websites, and programs, but everything is scattered across different places. It can quickly become one more thing to manage when you’re already stretched thin.
We built the Resource Hub for Childhood Cancer to make life a little easier.
Not because the information doesn’t exist — but because families deserve one simple, organized place to find it. A place that doesn’t require digging, searching, or sorting through different links when you’re exhausted.
As Max’s treatment continued, I kept seeing the same pattern: families weren’t short on resources. They were short on time, energy, and bandwidth to track everything down. That’s when it became clear that Maxwell’s Toy Box could help bring everything together in one place.
And as we keep walking our own family’s cancer journey, we’re committed to learning, listening, and keeping this hub updated so it stays genuinely helpful for the families who rely on it.
👩🍼Why This Resource Hub Matters to Me as a Mom
Since founding Maxwell’s Toy Box just six months into Max’s treatment, my hope has always been twofold: to bring comfort to children in the middle of long, exhausting hospital days — and to make sure parents and caregivers have one clear, easy place to turn when they’re overwhelmed and searching for help.
As our family continues walking this road, I’m learning more about the gaps families face. With enough support, I dream of growing Maxwell’s Toy Box into a place where families can find the guidance, relief, and community they deserve.
🎗️What You’ll Find in the Resource Hub
Every family’s journey looks a little different, and needs can shift from week to week. Our goal was to gather the resources we wish we had in one organized place — easy to navigate, clear, and always available. We will keep this list updated so families can rely on it throughout treatment.
Camps & Retreats: These programs give families a chance to breathe outside of the hospital routine. They offer connection, rest, and moments of joy that feel almost impossible to find during treatment. Families can meet others who truly understand — and create memories that bring comfort on the harder days.
Community & Miscellaneous Support: Childhood cancer can feel incredibly lonely. Community support — through care packages, local events, small acts of kindness, or organizations serving families in meaningful ways — can ease some of that isolation.
Emotional Support & Counseling: A childhood cancer diagnosis affects the entire family. This section offers emotional support options for parents, siblings, and extended family, along with counseling resources to help everyone process fear, anxiety, and the weight of this journey.
Financial Assistance: Treatment often brings unexpected costs — time away from work, travel, meals, and rising household expenses. This section lists programs that help ease some of that strain so families can focus on their child.
Medical Expenses Support: Even with insurance, out-of-pocket medical costs add up quickly. Here you’ll find organizations that help with prescriptions, medical equipment, specialized care, and other treatment-related needs.
Transportation Assistance: Traveling to and from treatment can be challenging, especially for families who live far from their hospital. This section includes programs offering gas support, lodging, and transportation assistance so families can stay close to care.
Wigs: Hair loss can be especially hard for children. This section provides organizations that create wigs specifically for kids, helping them feel more like themselves during a time when everything else feels unfamiliar.
Wish-Granting: Wish programs offer children something bright to look forward to. Whether it’s a special trip, meeting a hero, or choosing a dream gift, these moments bring joy, comfort, and hope during treatment.
🧸 For Cancer Families: A Few Gentle Reminders
This is an incredibly heavy season. If you're feeling overwhelmed or unsure, it doesn’t mean you’re doing anything wrong — it means you’re carrying something no parent should ever have to face.
Here are a few things I wish someone had shared with me early on:
Give yourself grace. You’re doing your best in a situation that changes day by day. There’s no perfect way to navigate any of this.
Lean on your hospital team. Social workers and child life specialists are there for you. Ask them about local programs, financial support, transportation help, emotional resources, and community organizations you may qualify for — they’re often the best starting point.
Connect with other parents who understand. There are Facebook groups and online communities filled with families going through similar treatments. I’m personally part of many, and talking to other moms has helped me feel less alone and has pointed me toward resources I wouldn’t have found on my own.
Let someone you trust help with applications. Many programs require forms, documents, or follow-ups. If you feel comfortable, ask a friend or family member to help fill these out or organize the info you need — it removes a big mental load when you’re already stretched thin.
🫶 If You Know a Family in Treatment
You may not always know what to say — and that’s okay. Families aren’t expecting perfect words. Often, the most meaningful support is simple and comes from the heart.
Here’s how you can gently show up:
Offer something specific. “I’m dropping off dinner this week — would Tuesday or Wednesday be easier?”
Send a small check-in with no pressure to reply. “Thinking of you today. No need to respond.”
Remember the siblings. A small activity, a treat, or an hour of one-on-one time can mean so much.
Drop off consumables families go through quickly. Individual snacks, sanitizing wipes, hydration drinks, gas cards, and grocery cards.
Be mindful of germs. When a child is immunocompromised, even a small cold can be dangerous.
Keep showing up beyond the first month. Treatment is long. Support that continues over time truly matters.
Little acts of care remind families they aren’t carrying everything alone — and in a season this heavy, that kind of support means more than you know.
Dina
Mom & Founder
Childhood Cancer Advocate 💛
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🔁 Join our movement to support children battling cancer and their families, year-round:
🎄 Donate to Pack the Joy and adopt a childhood cancer family to provide hope, comfort, and joy
🎁 Buy a toy from Maxwell’s Toy Shoppe, and 100% of proceeds support children in treatment
🎗️ Join Maxwell’s Circle of Heroes as a monthly donor to ensure families receive ongoing care
