For many families, the holidays mean warm meals, laughter and time together. But for hundreds of North Texas parents whose children are fighting cancer, the season can bring unimaginable stress – hospital stays, mounting bills, and the heartbreaking question of how to keep the lights on while their child fights for life. 

According to Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer (WOKC), one in three local families with a child battling cancer live at or below the poverty line – a reality that becomes even more painful during the holidays. 

North Texans can help support local families enduring unimaginable stress this holiday season by providing a gift of $33 or more to WOKC before the end of the year at wokc.org/hope.

“When your child is fighting for their life, the last thing a parent should worry about is how to keep food on the table or the electricity turned on,” said Kris Cumnock, CEO of Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer. “Hope can’t take a holiday – it is essential to these families who are living a nightmare.”

Through its Family Assistance Program, WOKC provides direct, practical relief to families in crisis. The local non-profit has stepped in to meet urgent, real-world needs this year – paying for housing costs, groceries, gas and parking, utilities, hotel stays and even helping a family afford a cap and gown while their high school senior underwent treatment. 

But as the cost-of-living rises, the need keeps growing. This season, WOKC is asking the community to come together to support every DFW family battling pediatric cancer. Each donation provides meaningful relief that allows parents to focus on what matters most, their child’s recovery.  

“We’ve seen families sleeping in their cars in hospital parking lots,” Cumnock said. “Our message is simple: hope can’t take a holiday. Families shouldn’t face cancer or hunger, eviction or isolation, alone during the holidays.” 

In addition to supporting families in crisis, WOKC provides Buddy Bags to every pediatric cancer patient admitted to a North Texas hospital. Each bag is carefully curated to meet the needs of newly diagnosed kids with cancer and their parent(s). The contents of the bag include toiletries, a cozy blanket pillow, dining gift cards for parents, as well as age-appropriate entertainment items for kids, such as an iPad and wireless headphones so patients can FaceTime friends and family or download schoolwork. Each of the bag’s 40 items has a specific role in easing the transition from home to hospital.  

For over 45 years, WOKC has significantly impacted the pediatric cancer space by funding more than $13 million for innovative and novel childhood cancer research projects. The non-profit invests in cutting-edge pediatric cancer research projects. 

Since 1980, Wipe Out Kids’ Cancer has offered comfort and hope to kids with cancer through support programs serving the entire family and funds innovative research leading to new discoveries and treatments in the fight against pediatric cancer. WOKC approach features three primary initiatives:   

WOKC funds national novel pediatric cancer research projects that lead to advancements in treatment outcomes. WOKC has significantly impacted the pediatric cancer space by funding over $13 million in pioneering research. This seed money has yielded more than $32 million in grant money from large cancer organizations like the National Cancer Institute. While WOKC is relentlessly searching for a cure, the significance of increased survival rates, less invasive treatments, and prevention of harmful side effects are also reasons why research is critical.  

WOKC refers to pediatric cancer patients as “Warriors” to recognize their strength, resilience, and courage. We know, however, cancer impacts the entire family emotionally, socially, and financially. That’s why our Warrior Family Program is thoughtfully designed to support not just the patient, but every member of the family. The Warrior Parent Socials Program provides “date night” experiences (i.e., cooking classes, Karaoke, game show competitions, etc.) for groups of parents who are navigating a pediatric cancer journey. This program not only helps couples reconnect (combating the elevated divorce rate for parents of critically ill children), but also helps organically foster peer support systems. The WOKC Financial Assistance Program targets families at or below the poverty line (33% of DFW families who have a child with cancer fit into this category). 

For more information on WOKC, follow on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter or visit WOKC.org.