Both parents struggled to keep up with work on top of caring for their family of six in the face of their son’s cancer.
ROCHESTER HILLS, MI, UNITED STATES, January 29, 2026 /EINPresswire.com/ — The family had no heat in their home from September through November 2025, and could not afford the $7k – $30k estimate to replace the heating unit. They had purchased the historic home before their son Lincoln’s cancer diagnosis took a devastating toll on their finances. This fall, they were forced to use one small, plug-in space heater for the entire home; any additional power source simply overloaded the aging circuits.
The financial impact of Lincoln’s cancer diagnosis had pushed the family towards bankruptcy. The possibility of adding a $30,000 boiler to their budget was devastating, so they turned to local foundations for help.
“Just as winter was approaching, we got the call that one of our families had no heat,” said Cheryl Warstler, family program coordinator for New Day Foundation for Families. “This type of expense is more than we could handle on our own, so we reached out to other nonprofits and as a community, we all came together to get the boiler and hot water tank replaced. We couldn’t have done it without each other. It definitely takes a village, and this is a small but mighty village. We’re so thankful to be able to step in and help this family.”
The six organizations collaborating to replace the family’s heating system include:
· New Day Foundation for Families – Rochester Hills
· iCare of Michigan – Utica
· Rainbow Connection – Rochester
· Angels of Hope – Shelby Township
· Koz Heating & Cooling – Sterling Heights
· Render’s Corporation Electrical – Dryden
“Thanks to these organizations, not only does my family have a new boiler, but also working electrical in rooms that we lost months prior and a brand new water heater,” said Lincoln’s mom Sarah. “Everyday I’m thankful. I feel so unbelievably blessed, our kids are warm and safe. We do our best to not show the struggles’ depths, but not hide it from them either. We’re teaching resilience, adaptation, determination and to never give up even when you feel you have nowhere to go.”
“The collaboration of our small nonprofits coming together really helped this family out of the hole they were in after their request was denied by multiple other organizations,” said Charles Moran, president of iCare of Michigan. “When New Day called, we reached out to Koz Heating & Cooling and got a solution put together in three days. We’re so happy how our partnerships came together to help families in need.”
Lincoln’s Story
Lincoln has been battling two different forms of cancer since late December 2023. Last summer, he spent over a month in the pediatric ICU and rehabilitation units, endured intensive chemotherapy and continued to have very frequent appointments in the hematology/oncology clinic as well as neurology, radiology and neurosurgery.
Since his most recent diagnosis this summer, his mom had been unable to work and his dad has reduced his hours in order to care for Lincoln and his three siblings. The family had lost 50 percent of their income as a result.
For families facing a significant loss of income due to a cancer diagnosis, the resulting financial and emotional distress can destabilize a family. Almost one third of families of children with cancer have unmet basic needs during treatment. According to a 2025 study, these families faced food, housing or energy insecurity and one-quarter lost more than 40 percent of household income.
ABOUT THE ORGANIZATIONS
New Day Foundation for Families is the only nonprofit in Michigan providing both financial assistance and emotional support to families navigating any type of cancer, anywhere in the state. New Day pays critical living expenses directly to creditors to cover housing, utilities, transportation, groceries and other essential household expenses, while also providing emotional support to cancer patients and their family members. Hospitals and cancer centers statewide rely on New Day to support families suffering a significant loss of income due to a cancer diagnosis.
iCare of Michigan’s mission is to provide one-time relief for any unforeseen circumstance for a family or individual up to $1,000.00. The Board of Directors and Ambassadors are all volunteer and pride themselves in making the approval process as easy as possible. Within 24-36 hours the application is decided on and, if approved, the monies are paid to the 3rd parties.
The Rainbow Connection grants wishes and provides support services to Michigan children battling life-threatening medical conditions. The extra programs that they provide, including the Special Response Program that assisted with the final payment, are designed to allow the families time to heal, without financial burden.
Angels of Hope is a 100% volunteer foundation whose mission is to provide critical support to Michigan families directly impacted by cancer. Their goal is to help ease the burden caused by the disease, its treatment and its devastating effects – both financial and emotional.
Koz Heating & Cooling provides dependable HVAC services, including furnace repair, air conditioning installation, sump pump solutions, indoor air quality improvements, and water safety systems for homes and businesses in Sterling Heights.
Render’s Corporation Electrical has been proudly serving Michigan since 1991. Render’s Electric is a veteran owned and operated electrical company.
Heather Blasko
New Day Foundation For Families Fighting Cancer
+1 248-648-1105
email us here
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