Paternostro Cancer Foundation

The Paternostro Cancer Foundation has been helping families facing a cancer diagnosis in Lycoming County since January 2013. Since then, we have poured our energy, our passion, and our faith into helping others in our community in memory of our sister Kass and our dad. We are an all-volunteer organization, fueled by love!

We provide support and assistance to local families through our four (4) cancer programs:

1. Financial Assistance Program: Over the past ten years, 500+ local families have received  $115K+ in direct financial assistance through this program. Our foundation makes payments directly to utility companies on behalf of families in need.

2. K2 Head Cover Program: Launched in January 2019 in partnership with Arrow & Thread Handmade Designs, this program has provided over 665 free, custom head covers to female patients experiencing hair loss as a result of cancer treatment. 

3. Harnessing Hope Care Bags: Since 2014, we have delivered 1,132 Harnessing Hope care bags to the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center in Williamsport. (The picture above recognizes the delivery of our 1,000 bag in January 2024.)

4. Essence of You: Essence of You launched in January 2021 in partnership with the Susquehanna Health Foundation. This six-part series provides patients facing cancer a respite from their treatment by offering holistic opportunities for self-care. Approximately 110+ patients have participated in the program since inception.

We also offer an annual memorial scholarship to graduates of Hughesville High School. Since 2013, we have provided $13K+ in scholarships to twenty-two (22) graduating seniors. 

We are managed exclusively by volunteers and we rely on donors like you to help us provide assistance to local families in need. 

To learn more, please visit https://paternostrocancerfoundation.org. Thank you.

Who We Are

The Paternostro Cancer Foundation provides much-needed support, including financial, to families facing a cancer diagnosis in Lycoming County and surrounding communities.

The Paternostro Cancer Foundation was originally founded in 2013 as the Team Kass Foundation in memory of our beautiful sister, Kathleen Paternostro Morgan, who passed from cancer in 2012 at the age of 40. The name changed to the Paternostro Family Foundation in 2015 following the untimely passing of our beloved father and local educator, Tom Paternostro, to cancer.

We became the Paternostro Cancer Foundation in November 2019 to illuminate our mission of providing assistance and support to local families facing a cancer diagnosis.

To learn more, please visit https://paternostrocancerfoundation.org.