P.U.N.T. Pediatric Cancer Collaborative

Childhood cancer poses a threat to every facet of family life. There is a tidal wave of hardship – physical, financial, and emotional – that can last a lifetime. That’s where we come in.

From the first day of diagnosis to recovery – and even in the unthinkable wake of a loss – this organization is honored to be the “go to” source of assistance in Western New York through our 6 distinct programs. We work beside hospital psychosocial partners to ensure every dollar we raise gets channeled where it is most needed. By doing so, we ease burdens, bring relief, heal hearts, lift spirits, and allow parents to focus on what matters most: being there for their sick child.

And “we” means you. P.U.N.T. is a public charity that serves as a conduit for your compassionate generosity. With your help, WNY families who must hear the words “your child has cancer” know that they don’t walk this journey alone, and the support they need most is ready and waiting for them. The P.U.N.T. acronym stands for Perseverance, Understanding, Need and Teamwork.

With passionate staff and leadership and abiding financial support from the WNY community, P.U.N.T.’s programs have grown significantly in both scope and impact over the past six years, making the nonprofit organization a well-respected and heavily relied upon source of assistance for local families dealing with the effects of pediatric cancer.

As a service of P.U.N.T., we are proud to announce Western New York's first peer-support grief center, Western New York Compassion Connection: A Center for Grieving Children and Families. We believe that no one should ever have to grieve alone. WNY Compassion Connection, located in Lancaster, NY, is a peer-support driven center created to be a safe place where kids and families can heal together from the death of a loved one .

A peer-to-peer model builds a unique environment where children and families can share their grief with others who “get it.” When children and families can connect with peers who have had similar experiences, it is often reassuring and helps reduce feelings of isolation.

Our mission is to create a safe place for anyone grieving the loss of a child, a parent, sibling, spouse or other loved one to come together for support, empathy and, eventually, healing. All our services and programs are offered at no cost, and are provided through the generosity of donors, volunteers, and state-funded grants.

Visit our website wnycompassionconnection.org for more information!

THE MISSION OF P.U.N.T. PEDIATRIC CANCER COLLABORATIVE IS TO PROVIDE CRITICAL AND COMPREHENSIVE FINANCIAL, EMOTIONAL AND PRACTICAL SUPPORT TO FAMILIES FACING A PEDIATRIC CANCER DIAGNOSIS AND TO SERVE AS A SOURCE OF HOPE AND HEALING FOR THE BEREAVED.

The mission of WNY Compassion Connection is to help grieving children and families navigate their journey to healing and resilience through the power of peer support and grief literacy within a safe, caring environment and through building up a grief sensitive community.