When the hardship and tumult of cancer invades a home, the very best family therapy can be a visit from Santa Claus. In the spirit of the holiday, and that of Dr. Beckstrand, who had a vision for direct community support, the BELIEVE Program was designed to counteract the ability of cancer to infect and devastatingly unravel every facet of a patient’s family life.

During the Christmas season, a time generally associated with comfort, happiness and carefree family unity, the pain, uncertainty, and confusion caused by a parent’s or a child’s cancer can reach new heights. For those local families struggling to pay for cancer therapy or living for the first time without a paycheck, BELIEVE reaches out to provide the spirit of Christmas with a visit from Santa and Mrs. Claus. Gifts, toys, food, trees, and holiday magic are delivered by a team of elves to families whose financial and physical limitations would otherwise deny them the traditional forms of celebration.

Families in need are identified through the Beckstrand patient database, partnerships with CHOC, Miller Children’s Hospital, Pacific Shores Medical Group, CHLA, Newport Cancer Care, SOS, and referrals from across the healthcare and social work communities. The numbers of families helped by the Believe Program is directly based on the amount of money available to the program.

Donors specifying BELIEVE as their choice of program may directly assist a single family through an “adopt-a-family” option. Different levels of personal engagement are also available.

“We were overwhelmed when the Beckstrand staff showed up at our home with all the incredible gifts for the children and me. Our family has been through a lot over the past year since Matthew was diagnosed with cancer, and it was wonderful to see Mathew and Megan happy and excited again. You are truly angels on this earth” – Claire