Finding a Home Away from Home: Where to Stay During Cancer Treatment

When you need cancer treatment, getting the right care is important. Your local hospital might not have the specialists or tools needed to treat the kind of cancer you have. You might have to travel away from home to get the care that’s best for you.

You may need to visit your cancer care center often. So it might make sense to find a place to stay nearby during treatment. That can be less stressful and more comfortable than traveling to and from your home.

Once you have a care plan, you’ll have a better idea of how long you’ll need to stay in your new area.

It might seem scary to have to find a place to stay in an area you don’t know. And you may wonder how you will pay for it. But don’t worry. There are housing assistance programs that help families like yours find a comfortable home away from home during treatment. These include:

• American Cancer Society (ACS) Hope Lodge. The ACS offers free, temporary housing at more than 30 Hope Lodge locations across the U.S. The program is available to you and your family. You can call to speak with someone at the ACS for details. You can also visit the ACS website for more information.

• Joe's House. This is an organization that helps find comfortable, temporary places for you to stay during treatment. The Joe’s House website lists thousands of housing options near hospitals and treatment centers. You can find everything from discounted hotel rooms to apartments and long-term housing.

• Hospital-sponsored housing. Many hospitals and cancer treatment centers offer their own housing programs. Ask your healthcare team if there are any housing options available through the hospital. They will help you find a place that fits your budget and is close to your treatment center. Your healthcare center may have a social worker, case manager, or navigator who is specially trained to help with this kind of situation.

• Ronald McDonald House Charities (RMHC). If you have a child who is being treated for cancer, the RMHC might be able to offer a place to stay. RMHC homes are only for families with children who are getting medical care. They are often free or low-cost. There are more than 375 houses worldwide. You can find more information on their website.

• Airbnb Open Homes. This popular home-sharing website has a program called Open Homes. It offers free temporary housing for people who are getting cancer care and their families. You can learn more about this program by visiting the Airbnb Open Homes website.

• Local groups. When you find out where you will need to be for your cancer treatment, do an internet search for local groups that have housing assistance. Type the name of the city and “cancer treatment housing.” There may be other great local options that are not included on this list.