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Program

For Pete’s Sake Cancer Respite Foundation enables cancer patients and their loved ones the opportunity to strengthen, deepen and unify their relationships by creating unforgettable and lasting respite vacations.

To be considered for a Respite Vacation, a patient must:

  • Have a physician diagnosis of cancer
  • Be between the ages of 24-50
  • Reside in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, or Delaware

View a full list of our Program Guidelines to see if you, or someone you know, can be a potential candidate. Candidates who do not meet our standard criteria within our Program Guidelines will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis by our Program Committee.

For Pete’s Sake works individually with each Patient and his or her family to plan unique Respite Vacations. All candidates must be nominated by a health care professional who is a member of the patient’s oncology team. We also subscribe to a full list of clinical assessment factors that are used by clinicians in recognizing which patients are most likely to benefit from the respite experience. Currently, we send patients and their families to the For Pete’s Sake home in Davenport, Florida, as well as to donated homes and resorts including select locations in the Pennsylvania Poconos, Jersey shore, California, Florida and North Carolina.

What a Respite Vacation includes:

  • One week’s accommodations for the patient and primary caregiver, and for children, when feasible.
  • All expenses related to the respite vacation, including associated travel costs.
  • Respite Vacation Basket containing a generous stipend for the week ($150 per day, on average), toiletries, robes, journals and pens, camera, and inspirational writings related to the trip.
  • Limousine ride to and from the airport (if applicable) that adds to the fun and leisure of the travel experience.
  • We present each family with a DVD memorial of the respite vacation and provide additional support, as needed through our Port Support program.

Are you or someone you know interested in our program?

If you have a friend or family member who has cancer and are not part of the oncology team, please complete the Respite Vacation Inquiry Form. If you are a member of the Oncology Team and want to nominate a patient, please contact our office to request forms for completion. Please note, if this is your first time nominating and you use the online version, you will not immediately be assigned a number but will be called by our office to review our Vacation Respite Criteria.

How We Measure Up

Patients and their Families

Learn more about our Patients and find out what how they felt about their excursions. See the results of our Patient Monthly Outcome Measures which measure the impact and effectiveness of our program in the battle against cancer.

Oncology Team

In addition, we ask the Patient’s oncology team to fill out an evaluation pre-respite and post-respite. Please view the Quarterly Oncology Team Evaluations. Notice that 100% report improvement in coping mechanisms post respite.

For Pete’s Sake tracks information about all Patients in its Patient Demographic Matrix. This information includes: ethnicity, gender, age category, county, state, cancer type and treatment center. View the Patient Demographic Matrix to see a complete breakdown of our program, the number served and the specifics of each patient.

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