Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation and Uber Partner to Provide Travel Credits for Families Navigating Challenges of Pediatric Brain Tumor Diagnosis

November 8, 2024 — The Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation (PBTF) and Uber are joining forces to provide essential support for families navigating the challenges of pediatric brain tumors. As part of a pilot program, Uber is granting credits to PBTF for a transportation assistance program for families in the New York Tri-State area, Orlando, and San Francisco. PBTF will offer the credits to families for travel to necessary doctor’s appointments and other essential services, easing both logistical and financial hardships during an exceptionally stressful time.

The credits from this program will help support a patient’s journey throughout a pediatric brain tumor diagnosis, reducing missed visits and improving health outcomes. From chemotherapy appointments for those actively in treatment, to appointments with physical, occupational, and mental health professionals, survivors, patients, and families can arrive at their appointments on time, with less financial and logistical stress.

Families and survivors affected by pediatric brain tumors typically have extensive travel needs, which can result in compounded financial hardship and logistical and emotional challenges. This collaboration between PBTF and Uber helps ensure patients and survivors of childhood brain cancers have access to reliable and affordable transportation options to essential treatments and other necessary appointments. With PBTF’s mission of Care. Cure. Thrive., and Uber’s mission to reimagine how the world moves for the better, this program helps remove barriers to and increase accessibility of critical medical care.

The program successfully launched on Friday, October 25, and PBTF has already issued credits to more than 20 families.

Jeffrey Gelfand, Board Chair and Interim Executive Director of the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation, said, “This collaboration reflects PBTF’s commitment to being the cavalry of support for families navigating a pediatric brain tumor diagnosis. Uber’s collaboration helps us turn this promise into a reality— by easing one significant cost and logistical burden for families going through unusually difficult times.”

Ursula Burns, Senior Advisor to the PBTF Board of Directors and member of Uber’s Board of Directors, said: “This collaboration offers an exciting example of how businesses and nonprofits can pool their talents and resources for the public good. PBTF applauds Uber for its support, which is already making an immediate difference for pediatric cancer patients. We look forward to expanding this partnership and aiding many more PBTF families in the near future.”

“Transportation shouldn’t stand in the way of a child receiving medical treatment or getting to a doctor’s appointment. We’re proud to work with partners like PBTF to help families focus on what truly matters—making sure their children receive the care they need,” said Julia Paige, Head of Social Impact at Uber.

To learn more about PBTF, visit curethekids.org.

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About the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation

Since 1991, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation has led the way in funding research into pediatric brain tumors, supporting families affected by this disease, and advocating for policies that help patients, survivors, and their loved ones. Dedicated wholly to addressing this rare disease and guided by the experiences of patients, survivors, their parents, and siblings, the Pediatric Brain Tumor Foundation is the only organization to meet families’ needs along every step of their cancer journey.

The largest patient advocacy funder of pediatric brain tumor research, the foundation also funds and advocates for innovative projects that lead to vital discoveries, new clinical trials, and better treatments – all bringing us closer to a cure. We’re able to do that because of people and partners committed to supporting families and ending childhood brain cancer. Learn more at curethekids.org.