Little Star Foundation

TO PROVIDE LONG TERM CARE AND A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER, CHILDREN IN NEED, THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVER SYSTEM BY PROVIDING FOR FREE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY PROGRAMS, HOSPITAL AND HOSPICE SUPPORT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SCHOLARSHIPS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS ASSISTANCE AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES.

WISH/GIFT PROGRAM EXPENSES INCLUDES FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE. WISH/GIFT/FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE IS BASED UPON A QUALIFICATION PROCESS TO ASSESS NEED. FAMILIES OFTEN TRAVEL FOR OUT OF STATE HOSPITAL TREATMENT FOR THEIR CHILD WITH CANCER, OVER MONTHS, EVEN YEARS. PARENTS HAVE OFTEN LOST THEIR JOBS DUE TO LONG ABSENCES FROM WORK TO CARE FOR THEIR SICK CHILD. DAILY BILLS, AND CREDIT CARD BILLS PILE UP EVEN WHEN A PARENT CAN HOLD ON TO THEIR JOB WITH ALLOWED LONG TIME OFF TO CARE FOR THEIR CHILD WITH CANCER. THE FINANCIAL HARDSHIPS, EMOTIONAL TRAUMA AND OVERALL STRUGGLES OF CARING FOR A CHILD WITH CANCER CAN BECOME OVERWHELMING, EVEN CATASTROPHIC FOR FAMILIES. WISH/GIFT PROGRAM SUPPORT INCLUDES DAILY AND EMERGENCY FUNDS, INCLUDING TRANSPORTATION, UTILITIES, FOOD, RENT/MORTGAGE PAYMENT HELP, GENERAL SUPPLIES, PRE, POST AND DURING TREATMENT PHASES EXPENSE SUPPORT, RELAPSE, REMISSION, BIRTHDAY, CHRISTMAS/HOLIDAY, BACK TO SCHOOL CARE PACKAGES, CAREGIVING EXPENSE COVERAGE, HOSPICE AND EDUCATIONAL ASSISTANCE AND WISH/GIFT REQUESTS MADE BASED ON SPECIFIC QUALIFIED NEEDS. PROGRAMS BENEFITTED: 1,420.

TO PROVIDE LONG TERM CARE AND A BETTER QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CHILDREN WITH CANCER, CHILDREN IN NEED, THEIR FAMILIES AND CAREGIVER SYSTEM BY PROVIDING FOR FREE, FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE, THERAPEUTIC ACTIVITY PROGRAMS, HOSPITAL AND HOSPICE SUPPORT, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS AND SCHOLARSHIPS, HEALTH AND WELLNESS ASSISTANCE AND OUTREACH OPPORTUNITIES.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAM EXPENSES: LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION HAS A MISSION STATEMENT ALLOWING FOR LONG TERM CARE AND GENERAL AND EMERGENCY CARE BECAUSE EVERY PROGRAM PARTICIPANT HAS A STORY UNIQUE. CAMP LIKE PROGRAMS WERE THE INITIAL FOCUS WHEN FOUNDATION PROGRAMS STARTED 39 YEARS AGO, BY ANDREA JAEGER, USING HER PRO TENNIS MILLIONS TO HELP CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND CHILDREN IN NEED 39 YEARS AGO. THOSE PROGRAMS STILL EXIST BUT IN SEEING THE BIGGER NEEDS, PROGRAMS EXPANDED TO FULFILL ALL IN THE MISSION STATEMENT. CHILDREN WITH CANCER IN CURRENT TREATMENT OR JUST IN REMISSION STAGE, REACHING COLLEGE AGE COULD NOT STAY ON THEIR PARENTS' INSURANCE UNLESS THEY ATTENDED COLLEGE. NO INSURANCE WOULD COVER THE TEENAGE CHILDHOOD CANCER SURVIVORS, WHO WERE STILL AT HIGH-RISK POTENTIAL FOR CANCER RELAPSE, SO EDUCATIONAL SCHOLARSHIPS WERE MADE AVAILABLE. THAT RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT OF THOSE PROGRAMS SHOWED, GIVING A GOAL FOR THE TEENS TO FOCUS ON ACTUALLY HELPED TURN MANY TERMINAL DIAGNOSIS TO LONG TERM LIFE FULFILLMENT. FAMILIES WERE ABLE TO KEEP THEIR TEENAGE CHILDREN ON THEIR FAMILY INSURANCE PLAN SO TREATMENTS AND FOLLOW UP CARE CONTINUED WITH NO INTERRUPTION, WHERE IF INTERRUPTIONS DID OCCUR WITH MEDICAL TREATMENTS THE CHILD WOULD DIE. NOW LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION ALUMNI OF PROGRAM PARTICIPANTS INCLUDE ONCOLOGISTS, SOCIAL WORKERS, NURSES, ENGINEERS, ENTREPRENEURS, TEACHERS, BUSINESS OWNERS, COMPUTER ANALYSTS, COMMUNITY LEADERS, MEDIA DIRECTORS, AMBASSADORS, MOMS, DADS AND COUNTLESS OTHER IMPORTANT ROLES IN THE WORLD, DIRECTLY BECAUSE OF RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS. EDUCATION AND THERAPEUTIC PROGRAMS SUPPORT ARE JUST TWO OF THE MANY RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS CURRENTLY ACTIVE AT LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION. RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT PROGRAMS BENEFITTED: OVER 2.8 MILLION

PROGRAM ACCOMMODATION EXPENSES: AT ONE POINT, LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION OWNED LARGE ACREAGE PROPERTIES AND LARGE BUILDING STRUCTURES. BEFORE COVID STARTED LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION RAN PROGRAMS AT THOSE BUILDING STRUCTURES AND PROPERTIES AND ALSO ON THE ROAD UTILIZING HOTELS AND RENTAL PROPERTIES. BECAUSE MANY PARTICIPANTS CAN NOT PHYSICALLY GET ON A PLANE OR TOLERATE LONG TRAVEL IN VEHICLES FOR PROGRAMS, THE ON-ROAD PROGRAMS WERE CRITICAL IN PROVIDING THERAPEUTIC CARE PROGRAMS. SAFE ENVIRONMENTS HAVE ALWAYS BEEN IMPORTANT AND ANDREA JAEGER'S FOUNDATION PROGRAMS OF LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION, PROGRAMS RUNNING FOR 39 YEARS, ALL HAVE HAD A 100% SAFETY RECORD. THAT REQUIRES ENVIRONMENTS WHERE PROGRAMS CAN BE EXPERIENCED IN PEACEFUL, SAFE, SERENE AND ENJOYABLE ENVIRONMENTS. EXPENSES TO RUN PROGRAMS ON THE ROAD AND AT HEADQUARTERS, ESPECIALLY WITH ON THE ROAD PROGRAMS A NECESSITY TO BE IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MAJOR HOSPITALS, AND WITH OWNED PROPERTY AND BUILDING EXPENSES RISING DRAMATICALLY AND HAVING TO BE PAID EVEN WHEN PROGRAMS WERE ON THE ROAD IT WAS A WISE DECISION TO NO LONGER HAVE OWNED PROPERTIES. FORTUNATELY, THOSE DECISIONS BECAME A WELCOME BENEFIT AS COVID HIT SHUTTING DOWN PROPERTY OWNED FACILITIES. LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION DUE TO USING PROGRAM ACCOMMODATIONS NOT OWNED HAD THE ABILITY TO BE FLEXIBLE AND ACCOMMODATE OPERATIONS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY UTILIZING LONG ESTABLISHED PROGRAM ACCOMMODATION PROGRAMS SO 365 DAYS OF THE YEAR, EVEN DURING COVID, LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION MAINTAINED OPERATIONS AND PROVIDED CARE THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY. THAT PROGRAM ACCOMMODATION FLEXIBILITY CONTINUES THE AWARD-WINNING PROGRAMS LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION IS KNOWN FOR INCLUDING PAYING FOR ACCOMMODATIONS FOR FAMILIES WITH CHILDREN WITH CANCER AND CAREGIVERS WHOSE ASSISTANCE IS ESSENTIAL FOR SUPPORT OF SUCH FAMILIES. ADDITIONALLY, PROGRAM ACCOMMODATION PROGRAMS ALLOW FOR THE ABILITY TO REACH AND HELP CHILDREN WITH CANCER, THEIR FAMILIES, CHILDREN IN NEED AND THEIR FAMILIES, THEIR CAREGIVERS INCLUDING HOSPITAL TEAMS AND SCHOOL TEAMS, EVEN DURING NATIONAL DISASTERS. LITTLE STAR FOUNDATION HAS THE ABILITY WITH AMBASSADORS, VOLUNTEERS AND A LEADERSHIP IN EXCELLENCE TO HELP AND HAS HELPED FAMILIES WITH CANCER AND FAMILIES IN NEED, AND THEIR CAREGIVERS THAT BECAME DISPLACED AND/OR HOMELESS DUE TO THEIR EXTREME HARDSHIP AND SUFFERING CIRCUMSTANCES. ACCOMMODATION PROGRAMS BENEFITTED: 15,800