The fundraiser provides real financial assistance to cancer patients. Unfortunately, many patients still feel fear and anxiety about asking for help in raising the necessary funds for treatment. Where do these psychological barriers to asking for help and how can they be overcome?

Asking for help – illness in the age of online fundraising

Online fundraisers are one form of financial support for people who need help with cancer diagnosis or treatment. Every day, more and more patients use fundraising platforms to describe their stories and ask donors for donations, even if only symbolic. Is this a failure of the system, which cannot provide adequate care for the sick? It is certainly one of the triggering factors—not every therapy is reimbursed, and even if it is, the patient often has to meet certain criteria in order to benefit from it. 

However, it is worth noting that many people receive cancer treatment covered by the National Health Fund (NFZ), and still have to ask for financial support during this difficult time. Cancer treatment involves a number of expenses that are not covered by the NFZ. These include travel to the hospital, paying for childcare/pet care during hospitalization, purchasing cleaning products, and even food or fuel if the patient is the main breadwinner of the family. And here another important issue arises – shame associated with fundraising.

Check: where to find help for cancer patients?

It would not be an exaggeration to say that we live in the age of online fundraising. Among the multitude of verified and necessary fundraisers, there are also fake ones. They are set up without any real need for financial assistance, solely out of a desire to take advantage of donors' contributions in order to avoid paying for something themselves. And it is these fake fundraisers that can cause fear of fundraisingin someone who really needs it. What if someone criticizes me and accuses me of extorting money? What if no one helps me? Do you think similarly? Read on.

Is asking for financial help a bad thing?

No, anyone who finds themselves in a difficult financial situation has the right to ask for help. Fundraisers are not only for people who are single or unemployed. They are also set up by patients who enjoyed professional and financial stability before their illness. If cancer treatment is not reimbursed and the patient needs modern therapy, no amount of savings will be enough. The prices for innovative cancer therapies can range from a few dozen to several hundred zlotys. Per month. Each of us may have psychological barriers to asking for help, but it is worth trying to overcome them.

Shame before the collection

A cancer diagnosis turns your life upside down. Active, independent people suddenly find themselves in a situation that is difficult to accept. One over which they have no control. Powerlessness and helplessness make them feel less valuable. Especially if the treatment is beyond their financial means. At this point, a feeling of guilt when asking for financial help. What will others say, since I have been able to afford vacations and a nice car until now? After all, others are in a worse situation. Social pressure makes the patient believe that since they have managed so far, they must manage this time too. Remember that humans are social creatures. We need each other. Cancer can affect any of us. The disease requires us to step out of our comfort zone and open ourselves up to accepting help from others.

Why is it so difficult to ask for help when you are ill?

The fear of asking for help can have various causes. One of them is the fear of criticism and judgment from others. The fear of not receiving help – especially if the person has had negative experiences in the past. The patient's low self-esteem is also a factor. The feeling that they do not deserve help. Many patients feel that financial assistance from donors is a debt that must be repaid in some way in the future. For some people, asking for help is tantamount to losing control over their life and illness. Equally important is the issue of opening up – talking publicly about one's illness, sometimes showing oneself after weight loss or hair loss. Each of these emotions and situations is completely normal. Asking for help, cancerrequires courage from the patient in their fight for health. Setting up a fundraiser is just such an act of courage. 

How to overcome embarrassment when setting up a fundraiser?

Talk about your feelings with your loved ones or a psychologist. It is also worth seeking support from people who have set up such a fundraiser for treatment in the past. Browse online forums for cancer patients, seek help from a cancer foundation that provides a fundraising service and runs support groups for its patients.

Check: how to choose a cancer foundation?

Starting a fundraiser requires telling your story. And although it is difficult, it can help you come to terms with your illness. Name what you feel, define your goal in the further stages of treatment. Regain a sense of agency – the funds raised are an opportunity for modern methods of therapy, taking care of daily expenses, and your family. By getting involved in helping to promote the fundraiser, they will also feel needed. 

If you learn how to set up a fundraiser, how to ensure that it is transparent for donors, and if you receive the necessary organizational assistance, your fear of setting up a fundraiser for medical treatment should diminish. Check out what fundraisers for cancer patients at the Cancer Fighters foundation. You will surely ask, what about the fear of criticism?

How to cope with the fear of being judged by others?

Remember that you have the right to ask for help. A person who donates to a fundraiser wishes you well. They want to do their part and really support you in your fight against illness. They are rooting for you. By giving you financial support, they are also giving you emotional support. Every such gesture is of great importance in motivating you to continue treatment. Criticism from internet users? It may happen. Especially from anonymous accounts. Don't read negative comments; you can ask your loved ones to moderate comments on social media. Instead of focusing on possible criticism, focus on the support you receive and what you can achieve in your fight against the disease thanks to it. If you need psychological support, seek it out.

Set up a fundraiser in a trusted place

You will feel more confident if you set up a fundraiser for treatment on a proven fundraising website. This way, you will ensure the safety of donors and the transparency of the fundraiser, and you will receive substantive assistance in running the fundraiser. If you need financial support for cancer treatment, contact us and become a beneficiary of the Cancer Fighters. For years, we have been supporting fighters of all ages in their battle for health. We promote fundraising campaigns and provide psychological support. Remember how we mentioned that humans are social creatures? Join us, because together we can simply do more!