text: Making an Impact - Cancer Stories - Rajwinder Sarao - Alberta Cancer Foundation
  Holly Minor is a clinical social worker in the blood and marrow transplant program at Calgary's Tom Baker Cancer Centre who has her work cut out for her. "For the first while, even for a year or longer, patients can be in a state of absolute shock trying to understand and absorb all the treatment information," she says. "Their lives are turned upside down, especially if they have to attend many appointments." Some patients have to face being told they cannot go to work tomorrow. What then? "We try to do our best for our patients to reduce their stress by helping them navigate the territory of private and public funding," Minor says. "Everyone benefits from having a road map and being helped along the way."
  Also, the family was eligible to apply for the Alberta Cancer Foundation's financial assistance program. The program provides temporary financial assistance to help pay for expenses related to cancer diagnosis and treatment – including travel, parking and living expenses. It is accessed through social workers in cancer centres across Alberta and there is a list of set criteria to meet in order to receive this funding. "This is a fund of last resort," Minor explains. "When we meet with patients, we explore other means of financial help available in the community and we assist the patient in accessing community agencies, provincial, federal, and private insurance funding." Rajwinder met the criteria for funding from the Alberta Cancer Foundation. And he is very grateful. "It was hard with so much at once but I just believed in myself, believed in my doctors and believed in the system. That worked very well for me," he says.