At Candlelighters, our mission has always been rooted in one simple, powerful goal — to walk alongside families facing the unimaginable journey of childhood cancer, offering support, compassion, and hope every step of the way. Today, I am thrilled and deeply grateful to share that our efforts to uplift these families just received an incredible boost.
Thanks to the generosity of Dignity Health and CommonSpirit Health, Candlelighters has been awarded a $25,000 Community Health Improvement Grant. This funding will allow us to expand vital programs and create new, holistic services that address not only the financial and practical burdens of a cancer diagnosis but also the emotional and mental well-being of the entire family.
We are honored that Dignity Health recognizes the importance of our work and the unique challenges our families face. This grant is more than financial support — it is a powerful affirmation of our shared belief that no family should face childhood cancer alone.
For over 30 years, Candlelighters has provided emotional support, quality-of-life programs, and financial assistance to thousands of families across Nevada. We’ve seen firsthand how childhood cancer impacts not only the child diagnosed but also parents, siblings, and caregivers. We’ve long understood that the fight against childhood cancer is not just medical — it’s emotional, financial, and deeply personal.
With Dignity Health’s support, we are excited to launch new initiatives focused on behavioral health and emotional wellness, an area of critical need for our community. Nevada consistently ranks among the lowest in the nation for youth mental health, and this grant will allow us to address this crisis at the intersection of mental health and childhood cancer.
Through this funding, we will:
- Expand our current mental health and emotional support programs;
- Partner with clinical experts to develop evidence-based wellness services;
- Bring licensed behavioral health professionals into our Candlelighters family;
- Create welcoming therapeutic spaces for counseling sessions; and
- Launch targeted group therapy programs for specific family members impacted by a cancer diagnosis.
These services will help up to 300 family members in our community access mental health care that is specialized, timely, and compassionate — something that has been missing for far too long.
While many organizations are doing incredible work around mental health, none are focused solely on families battling childhood cancer the way we are. Thanks to Dignity Health’s generosity, we can now fill that gap and strengthen the safety net for the families we serve.
On behalf of our entire Candlelighters community—our staff, volunteers, and, most importantly, the brave families we serve—I want to extend my deepest gratitude to Dignity Health and CommonSpirit Health. Your partnership will make a real, lasting difference in the lives of children and families who need it most.
Together, we are lighting the way forward.
