In 2016, more than a million people will be diagnosed with cancer around the world. This alarming statistic affects people and families everywhere.

June 5 was National Cancer Survivors Day in the United States and in support of this day, Social Security encourages getting checkups to provide early detection, raise awareness through education, and recognize the survivors who have gone through this battle or are still living with the disease.

Social Security stands strong in support of the fight against cancer. The agency offers services to patients dealing with this disease through its disability and Compassionate Allowances programs. Compassionate Allowances are cases with medical conditions so severe they obviously meet Social Security’s disability standards, allowing cases to be processed quickly with minimal medical information. Many cancers are on our Compassionate Allowance list.

There’s no special application or form you need to submit for Compassionate Allowances. Simply apply for disability benefits using the standard Social Security or Supplemental Security Income (SSI) application. Once you are identified as having a Compassionate Allowances condition, they’ll expedite your disability application.

Social Security establishes new Compassionate Allowances conditions using information received at public outreach hearings, from the Social Security and Disability Determination Services communities, from medical and scientific experts, and from data based on our research. For more information about Compassionate Allowances, including the list of eligible conditions, visit www.socialsecurity.gov/compassionateallowances.  

If you think you qualify for disability benefits based on a Compassionate Allowances condition, visit www.socialsecurity.gov to apply for benefits.

Editor’s Note: The author Robert G. Rodriguez is a Social Security Public Affairs Specialist in New Britain , CT