ABOUT US
OUR MISSION
A Shelter for Cancer Families provides stability, shelter and support for families seeking cancer care in the Texas Medical Center.
OUR IMPACT
20+ Years
For more than 20 years, ASCF has been providing the stability, shelter and support that families depend on when seeking cancer care in the Texas Medical Center.
16,250 Nights
More than 16,250 nights of housing have been provided in just the past 5 years.
$600K Saved
ASCF saves families an average of $600,000 every year on lodging during cancer treatments.
A Look Back
2022
OUR INSPIRATION
After being diagnosed with sarcoma, Tom Amschwand vowed to help improve life for families affected by cancer. In addition to the need for better awareness and research funding for rare cancers like sarcoma, Tom saw a need for improved support for ALL FAMILIES seeking cancer care in Houston. Home to both the largest cancer center and the largest pediatric hospital in the world, Tom felt our city's programs for cancer families should reflect that.
Tom continues to serve as the original inspiration for our work, but today so do the thousands of other cancer families we've come to know and serve.
OUR HISTORY
Because of Tom's vision, A Shelter for Cancer Families (formerly Amschwand Sarcoma Cancer Foundation) was formed in 2001 to address the needs of families affected by cancer (specifically sarcoma) that were not already being met elsewhere. The availability of appropriate housing for out-of-towners seeking cancer care in the Texas Medical Center (TMC) has not kept pace with the need. Even more, families affected by cancer often find it difficult to traverse the cancer landscape.
Whether native or new to our area, patients and their families need guidance for the cancer journey that is both accessible and uncomplicated. ASCF believes cancer families should be afforded options and dignity especially during times of crisis.
In 2017, after a needs assessment, ASCF's board of directors voted to focus our future efforts on providing stability, shelter and support to families affected by all types of cancer. Then, in 2019, ASCF found it's permanent place with the purchase of a 15-unit apartment complex that provides free short-term housing for families seeking lifesaving cancer care in the TMC.
