Financial Support & Grants
A sarcoma diagnosis brings costs that nobody plans for — travel to appointments in Dublin or Cork, car parking, overnight stays, childcare, higher heating bills, and income lost when you or the person caring for you cannot work.
Financial Support & Grants
Sarcoma Cancer Ireland provides direct financial help to ease some of that pressure, so that money worries are not one more thing to manage during treatment.
All of our grants are funded entirely by public donations. We receive no government or HSE funding.
Patient Support Grant — €500
A once-off payment of €500 for people who have been newly diagnosed with sarcoma or who are in active treatment. It can be used for whatever is causing the most pressure — travel, utilities, food, household costs or treatment-related expenses. You do not need to account for how you spend it.
Who can apply:
- You have a sarcoma diagnosis
- You are aged 18 or over
- You live in the Republic of Ireland
- One payment of €500 per patient
How to apply: download the Patient Support Grant application form from this page, complete it, and ask a consultant oncologist, oncology clinical nurse specialist, GP or hospital social worker to complete and stamp the medical section. Return the completed form to grants@sarcoma.ie. Payment is made by bank transfer.
Completing the form is not a guarantee that a grant will be awarded, as the scheme depends on funding being available. We will always come back to you either way.
Play Therapy Funding Grant
Launched in June 2026, this grant funds accredited play therapy for children whose parent has been diagnosed with sarcoma. A cancer diagnosis in a family has a real impact on children, and play therapy gives them a safe space to express what they are feeling and to build resilience during a very difficult time. Contact support@sarcoma.ie to find out more or to apply.
Funeral Grant — €500
Also introduced in June 2026, this is a once-off payment of €500 to eligible families following the loss of a loved one to sarcoma, intended to ease some of the financial pressure that arrives at the worst possible moment. Contact support@sarcoma.ie for details.
AYA Voucher Support
For adolescent and young adult patients facing long hospital stays, we provide food and coffee vouchers to make time on the ward a little easier. This programme currently runs in Dublin and Cork. Ask your team, or contact us directly.
Other Financial Supports You May Be Entitled To
You may also qualify for State payments and supports. These are administered by the Department of Social Protection, not by us, but our team can help you work out what to look into:
Illness Benefit – a weekly payment if you cannot work because of illness.
Disability Allowance – a weekly payment for people with a disability expected to last at least a year.
Carer’s Allowance and Carer’s Benefit – payments for people caring for someone who needs full-time care.
Medical Card and GP Visit Card – free or reduced-cost healthcare, assessed on means; discretionary cards may be available on medical grounds.
Drugs Payment Scheme – caps the monthly amount your household pays for prescribed medicines.
Additional Needs Payment – a once-off payment from the Community Welfare Service for essential costs you cannot meet.
Full details of all State supports are available from Citizens Information at citizensinformation.ie, or from the medical social worker at your treating hospital, who can help you apply.
Talk to Us
If you are not sure what you might be entitled to, or if you would rather talk it through with someone before filling in a form, email support@sarcoma.ie or call our Support Line on 085 769 4115 (Tuesdays 10am–1pm, Thursdays 5pm–8pm).