Meet the runners who will be representing Expect Miracles Foundation and raising funds for our mission at the 2026 TCS New York City Marathon on November 1.
2026 Spring SAMFund Grants
EMF Announces Record-Breaking Spring Grant Awards
EMF’s SAMFund program awarded a record-breaking $301,000 in 2026 Spring SAMFund Grants to support young adult cancer survivors across the country. This marks the largest spring award total in SAMFund history. The funding included:
- $230,000 in Financial Assistance grants
- $71,000 in Family Building grants
- 124 total grants awarded
SAMFund grants help young adult survivors navigate the financial burdens that often continue long after treatment ends. SAMFund grants provide financial support in two categories: Financial Assistance for ongoing living expenses and Family Building assistance for cancer related family building expenses.
How the Funding Was Used
The largest category for funding this spring was for support to supplement rent or mortgage expenses, which accounted for 66.4% of all SAMFund grants awarded. Housing costs continue to be one of the biggest monthly bills facing young adult cancer survivors and a SAMFund grant can help young adults maintain stable living situations during survivorship. Other grant categories included:
- Family Building Procedures: 19.2%
- Car Payments: 5.6%
- Graduate Tuition or Continuing Education/Vocational Training: 4.8%
- Dental, Cosmetic or Reconstruction Expenses: 2.4%
- Reproductive Storage Expenses: 1.6%
Record Demand, Lasting Impact
This record-setting grant cycle highlights both continued demand for support and the critical impact SAMFund grants make in helping young adult survivors move forward financially and personally after cancer. Through the SAMFund program, EMF remains committed to reducing the financial toxicity of cancer and ensuring young adult survivors have the support they need to build stable, healthy futures. For the Fall cycle, the Financial Assistance application will open July 21 and the Family Building application will open September 15. For more information, visit the Get Support page on our website.
Awarded
About EMF’s SAMFund Grant Program
Due to the high costs associated with treatment and survivorship, young adults experience financial toxicity at a greater level than any other age group. SAMFund grants help to alleviate the financial burden resulting from cancer treatment. Thank you to donors for supporting EMF’s SAMFund Grant Program. Because of your generosity, we are helping young adult cancer survivors build bridges to help them get where they were intended to go before cancer disrupted their lives.
Make Miracles
Join us in the fight against cancer and be part of the community that is making miracles happen today. Your donation is an investment in our Innovation and Discovery Funds, which invests in life-saving cancer research, and EMF’s SAMFund, which provides financial assistance for young adult cancer survivors.
Invest in Hope
Corporate sponsors lead our life-saving mission and gain access to influential business networking opportunities at EMF events, which range from galas to golf tournaments and more. As a sponsor you can cultivate relationships in the financial services industry while having a life-changing impact on the cancer community.