After years of fundraising to grow the Cancer Patient Fund and assisting hundreds of community members fighting cancer in La Porte County, Healthcare Foundation of La Porte (HFL) has officially transferred the Cancer Patient Fund to NewDay Foundation. HFL and NewDay are no strangers, as HFL assisted NewDay in becoming a 501(c)(3) in January of this year through a capacity-building grant.
“We have great trust in the capabilities of NewDay Foundation,” said Maria Fruth, President & CEO of HFL. “The organization has a solid mission and are motivated to continue to grow not only their resources and fundraising, but also the financial assistance they provide to patients with cancer. NewDay has a track record of building hope. We are assisting NewDay to grow their capacity to be more impactful. Katrina Langford, NewDay Foundation’s Executive Director, is a diligent and caring individual who has been involved with the former La Porte Hospital Foundation and HFL for many years. She is the perfect leader for this next stage in the life of NewDay Foundation and she works with a passionate group of board members.”
The Cancer Patient Fund was established by the former La Porte Hospital Foundation in the 1980s to assist those battling cancer. The fund has provided financial assistance to people with cancer, such as paying for medications, transportation to treatment, and diagnostic imaging, among other treatment costs. In 2016, La Porte Hospital Foundation blended into the new HFL, which continued fundraising and outreach to patients until last month. The fund has assisted over 2,000 La Porte County residents, providing $750,000 in direct patient assistance since the fund’s creation.
“We are grateful for the many past supporters of the fund, who have contributed through Tour de La Porte, memorial, and outright gifts, allowing the foundation to financially assist community members battling cancer,” Fruth said. “The funds are now in the capable hands of NewDay Foundation, and it is our hope that our community continues to donate and support the growth of this fund.”
HFL’s vision is to become one of the top ten healthiest communities in Indiana by 2030. Going forward, HFL will no longer fundraise, but will continue to finetune its focus on grantmaking, capacity building for not for profit organizations in La Porte County, and strategic initiatives to solve major health and wellness issues in the county.
Having been involved with the Cancer Patient Fund before taking the reins, Langford praised HFL for its previous marketing of fundraisers. She was also pleased that HFL worked with NewDay to communicate to patients, providers, physician offices, and hospitals about the transfer of the fund to make for a smooth transition.
Langford is appreciative of the graceful leadership shift from HFL to NewDay because it has allowed those with a cancer diagnosis to focus on taking care of themselves, rather than the logistics of new management. Moving forward, Langford strives to continue HFL’s standard of excellence and provide dynamic care for those turning to the Cancer Patient Fund for financial relief.
“Our vision is for more people to learn about NewDay and understand that we’re available to help,” Langford said. “We also want people to understand that they don’t have to be in one little niche. It is not just prescriptions or medical bills that we pay. Some people do have insurance and their medical cost is not their main concern. The fact that their electricity may be cut off, that’s their worry. We once bought a man a bus ticket because his car broke down, and he needed to get back for his chemo treatment. We’ve paid for wigs, we have a food pantry, and we have a whole list of clients whose main need is gas cards or food assistance. They may not qualify for a state or federal program because they have jobs, but they may not be able to afford traveling costs for treatment.”
To learn more about HFL or NewDay, visit their respective sites at https://hflaporte.org/ and https://newdaylaporte.org/. To make a donation toward the Cancer Patient Fund, email klangford@newdaylaporte.org.
