2025 Upstream pilot grantee Lena Winestone is investigating whether direct cash assistance can reduce financial hardship and advance health equity among families experiencing poverty during a child’s bone marrow transplant. Through BMT-RISE, a multicenter pilot study, Winestone and her team are evaluating the feasibility and acceptability of providing unrestricted financial support to families navigating the significant economic challenges of pediatric cancer treatment. With all eligible families approached to date agreeing to participate, early findings support continued evaluation of this approach. In this interview, Winestone discusses the rationale behind the intervention, insights from engaging families and healthcare providers, and how the Upstream pilot grant is informing the development of a larger randomized study to assess the potential of guaranteed income as an intervention to reduce socioeconomic disparities in pediatric cancer care.
Link to full article: Meet the Grantee: Lena Winestone