The Hero Fund was established to help pay for the unanticipated costs of treatment for patients with blood cancer, including co-pays for medication, meals for patients, medically tailored meals post-discharge, round-trip transportation, parking vouchers, and in-home care.
When our founder, Erik Sauer, was undergoing treatment at Johns Hopkins Hospital, it was the unexpected costs of treatment that risked putting his family in financial jeopardy. “We had medical insurance to cover the basics of treatment, but my family was spending $12 per day to park at the hospital, paying for gas to and from the hospital, and purchasing meals. All of this while I was out of work for almost a year and half” says Erik.
Our Hero Fund is able to fill the gaps of blood cancer treatment by providing support for emergent needs and unanticipated expenditures that may not be covered by insurance or other sources of funding.
Since launching the Hero Fund in January 2019, There Goes My Hero has since partnered with the Harry J. Duffy Family Patient and Family Services Program of Johns Hopkins Medical Institutions, the Hackerman-Patz Patient and Family Pavilion, Moveable Feast, and the University of Maryland Medical Center to further extend our reach and services within the greater Baltimore area.
As part of our new partnership with the Hackerman-Patz Patient and Family Pavilion at Johns Hopkins Hospital & the University of Maryland Medical Center, we are also collecting unused/ unopened items to donate:
Hackerman-Patz Patient and Family Pavilion at Johns Hopkins Hospital Wish List:
- Toiletry items (e.g., shampoo, conditioner, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.)
- Non-perishable foods
- Disposable plastic food containers
- Saran wrap, foil, plastic storage bags
- Magazines (e.g., People Weekly Magazine, Baltimore Magazine, etc.)
- Books, games, puzzles
- Postage stamps, stationery, note cards
- Disinfectant cleaning wipes
Care bag items for the blood cancer patients:
- Sleep masks
- Fuzzy socks
- Hand warmers
- Head wraps
- Lotion
- Lip balm
- Tooth brushes and tooth paste
- Ear plugs
- Sensory items (e.g., stress balls, fidget toys, etc.)
- Kleenex
- Packaged snacks (e.g., chips, crackers, popcorn, etc.)
- Sweets (e.g., cookies, candy, fruit snacks, etc.)
- Bottled water and bottled juices
- Mints and gum (e.g., Lozenges, hard candy, etc.)
- Cards of encouragement
If you are interested in donating items, please contact mary.kaye@theregoesmyhero.org.
