Receiving medical treatment can be very expensive. This is especially true for people battling cancer.

That’s why Steve Peterson is leading a non-profit foundation to help them pay their bills when they can’t afford to.  

Peterson knows how to work a room. He’s one part banker another part humanitarian. 

“You start to realize how many people’s lives are affected at the worst possible time,” says Petersen. 

As the chairperson for the Wichita Cancer Foundation, he’s fundraising for the cause he believes in.

“My mission is to help with cancer, get the treatments that they need,” said Peterson. 

Steve has helped people like Dorothy Landrum with her life-saving care.

“I don’t know how anyone affords this. I’ve heard of people having to mortgage their house, not being able to send their kids to college,” said Landrum. 

The Wichita Cancer Foundation is known for funding care, funding hope. It makes insurance payments for patients like Dorothy who don’t have the money to do so.

“To have that help to where all you have to worry about is your kids and getting better that’s huge,” said Landrum.

Steve says having that financial safety net is what is needed for patients.

“Often they lose their job and a family member loses a job. So, suddenly they find themselves without medical coverage at the worst possible time. So, they just need that help to get their insurance covered,” said Peterson.

Steve says he enjoys leading a foundation that helps so many Kansans in a tough financial spot.

“Some of the stories we hear, we’ve had are heartbreaking losses. We approve patients up to 6 months at a time and we get some really sad stories in some of the battles. You know if you just focus on helping them with quality of life, the last 6 months of their life that’s what you have to celebrate,” said Peterson. 

Steve Peterson is a Hometown Hero with compassion and mercy for those in need.

“People in Wichita are very generous also Sedgwick County, Kansas. A lot of times if you tell them the story, I think they get connected to a really good cause, and I get a lot of credit for things I don’t do,” said Peterson.

Steve says he feels blessed for getting involved with a cause that helps people who can’t afford life-saving care.

To find out if you qualify for financial assistance you can go to the Wichita Cancer Foundation’s website.

If you know a Hometown Hero, we’d like to hear about them.

Send you nominations to reportit@ksn.com.