1. Direct monetary grants: For those without insurances or the personal assets to cover needed medical expenses, the Foundation can help with direct financial assistance. Sometimes this is only necessary as a bridge while permanent solutions are put into place. Our primary objective is to ensure that required treatments are available on a timely basis.

2. Assistance with the insurance process: Anyone who has been seriously ill knows that navigating the technicalities of insurance coverage can be a daunting process. The Foundation has volunteers from the medical and insurance professions who can be helpful in understanding the scope of insurance coverage a patient may have and the procedures necessary to obtain it.

3. Travel expense coverage: The Foundation can help with the cost of uninsured travel expenses for the patient and travel companions in order to reach the location where required medical services are available.

4. Medical Expense Reduction: Through the diverse expertise of the Foundation's board members, medical expenses can sometimes be reduced by identifying cost-effective alternatives for obtaining medical and drug treatments. Occasionally we are able to arrange for a reduction of a medical bill or at the very least better terms of payment.

5. Bone marrow donor program: A bone marrow transplant is often the only form of hope for a cure in certain forms of cancer. Finding bone marrow donors who might be a possible match for cancer patients throughout the world is an ongoing challenge. Many people do not know that a simple blood sample is all that is required in order to test for a possible match. The Island Gift Of Life sponsors certain blood drives and encourages individuals at these drives to volunteer to have their blood tested for matching.

6. Miscellaneous services: The Island Gift of Life foundation offers the medically needy a broad range of services that cannot be easily described. We are there to make the whole process of dealing with a complex illness bearable for stressed patients and their families. Our experienced board members often recommend a solution to a thorny problem that the patient can't come up own his own due to his or her overwhelming sadness and concentration on the immediate problems of illness.   Occasionally support comes in the form of our helping to find home heath care workers or rounding up volunteers to makeover a bathroom to be handicap accessible. So our Foundation doesn't simply hand out money. We follow up with whatever is necessary to get the problem solved.

6. Confidentiality: Please be assured that all dealings with the Foundation are kept in the strictest confidence. Not even all board members know the identity of the people we are trying to help. Generally when a new case comes to us a few board members are assigned to the case based on their experience and availability. These are the individuals who will work with the patient on an ongoing basis. The interface with Foundation members should be virtually effortless for our patients.

We urge all those coping with medical problems, whether financial, insurance related or otherwise, to contact us. A quick telephone conversation with one our compassionate Board Members may relieve your fears. Then in order to formally help you we will need an application and medical release form filled out.

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