Financial Support and Income Satisfaction Among Grandparents of Childhood Cancer Patients: A Brief Report.

Abstract

Childhood cancer imposes a financial burden on families. We explored the financial support grandparents provide to parents of childhood cancer patients and their income satisfaction over the two years post-diagnosis. Twenty-nine families shared contact information for 85 grandparents, of whom 41 (48%) participated in a longitudinal questionnaire study, and seven were interviewed about financial support. While most grandparents (53%-69%) offered some financial support, it was generally modest. Across all time points, most grandparents (96%) had sufficient income to live on. To more completely understand the financial needs of pediatric cancer families, assessments beyond direct parental contributions are warranted.