The Mariposa Program
What is the Mariposa Program?
Launched in 2007, CAN’s Mariposa Program provides direct financial assistance to young adults pursuing fertility preservation necessitated by a recent cancer diagnosis or treatment. Qualified applicants are eligible to receive stipends up to $3,000 to help defray the cost of fertility preservation procedures.
The Need for the Program
Young adults today face myriad challenges. They may be focused on pursuing an education, building a career, starting a family, and achieving financial independence. Very few young adults are prepared, financially or emotionally, for a cancer diagnosis or life–saving cancer treatments that may result in the loss of fertility. The costs of treatment and of fertility preservation are significant obstacles for young people, who carry an average $30,000 in debt. Few insurance carriers will cover the cost of infertility procedures, such as in–vitro fertilization and oocyte preservation.
CAN believes that one’s financial status should not determine the possibility of having a family after successful cancer treatment. To achieve this need, we assist young adults with three types of fertility preservation:
- Embryo Preservation
- Oocyte Preservation
- Sperm Banking
CAN, through its relationships with community partners, continually updates its records regarding the current costs of the covered procedures and considers this information in determining award amounts.
Eligibility
CAN selects Mariposa Program participants based on the following criteria. All conditions must be met in order to receive services.
Candidates should:
- be a U.S. citizen or permanent resident,
- be between age 18 and 40,
- reside in Central Texas region, and
- have an annual household income of less than $75,000, if single, or $100,000, if married.
Applicants should also have been diagnosed with cancer. They should have received a treatment plan that presents a risk of infertility, as diagnosed by oncologist, and medical professionals (an endocrinologist and an oncologist) must determine that fertility treatments will not affect treatment success. Finally, eligible Mariposa Program applicants must be without insurance that will cover fertility treatments.
What’s Covered?
The Mariposa Program covers the following procedures:
Women
The Mariposa Program helps to reduce the cost of egg and embryo freezing and retrieval procedures. CAN provides financial assistance for each of these services. The money can be applied to surgical procedures, laboratory services, and patient consultation. Please see the Mariposa Program application (pdf) for further details.
Men
The Mariposa Program helps reduce the cost of sperm banking and provides financial assistance for these services.
Storage Fees
CAN covers the cost of storing eggs, embryos, or sperm for one year, provided the maximum financial compensation is not exceeded.
Schedule of Giving
CAN evaluates all applications on a monthly basis and has four periods of giving per year. We accept applications at all times of the year. Traditionally, the periods of giving are the second Tuesday of each fiscal quarter (January, April, July, and October). However, please contact us for more details and an update on our giving periods.
