A number of nonprofit organizations can help with financial assistance when treatment expenses for cancer are overwhelming. A sampling:

CancerCare (www.cancercare.org, 800-813-4673), offers financial assistance in the form of limited grants for certain treatment expenses. Services also include practical help and support via the free phone line or the website.

National Marrow Donor Program (www.marrow.org, 888-999-6743) has a patient assistance program that helps with costs for searching the donor program registry and some post-transplant costs.

The Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (www.leukemia-lymphoma.org, 800-955-4572) offers some financial aid to patients with leukemia, non-Hodgkins lymphoma, Hodgkins lymphoma or multiple myeloma who qualify as needing the assistance.

The Patient Advocate Foundation (www.patientadvocate.org, 800-532-5274) sponsors a Co-Pay Relief program for qualified patients.

The Federal Health Resources and Services Administration (HRSA) Bureau of Primary Health Care has health centers nationwide that only charge you what you can afford. To locate a health center, visit the web page at http://ask.hrsa.gov/pc.