Dear friends,
Ms. Doria Daniels is a mother of six kids, a grandmother to nine, and a great grandmother to one. She has given her whole life to caring for others, including so many of us here in the St. Louis area. Doria has been a medical assistant at various St. Louis hospitals and clinics for over 40 years. For the last 11 years, she has been serving at a community clinic for community members who remain uninsured. She navigates the healthcare system as a referral coordinator for clients needing specialty services in addition to coordinating outreach events that bring health care to the people and meet community members where they are at. She also works part-time as a home health caretaker and is a regular volunteer at the local soup kitchen.
In the past, Doria assisted with the foster care coalition because after she adopted her son, Ernest, out of foster care she wanted to help other children find their culture and themselves when adopted by white families. Doria educated these families on how to comb their adopted child’s hair as well as care for their skin. Doria was in school to become a social worker to further her career and increase the impact she has in our community. The last year has led to her putting her career on hold as she breaks down barrier after barrier to support her family and herself.
Doria is successful in her work because she herself knows what it is like to run into brick wall after brick wall. She is patient and persistent as she navigates the healthcare world for not only her clients but her mother and now two of her adult children. Doria lost her mother to Covid-19 in the summer of 2020. She fought with all her heart to be at her mother’s side as she passed from this world. Doria drew strength from her family and friends as she moved forward, looking to the future as she was assisting in the construction of a new home via Habitat for Humanity. Doria drew on her mother’s passing and assisted with outreach events to vaccinate the St. Louis community against Covid-19. The first part of this spring it seemed all she had to plan for was her move into her new home. But, on April 8, 2021, Doria and her daughter, Cecilia, found out that Cecilia had breast cancer. The plan of care came together quickly and soon Doria and Cecilia were planning out chemotherapy and radiation days alongside Cecilia’s four children’s schedules and Doria’s work schedule. With the help of her community, it seemed as if a plan was in place and it would be manageable. However, on April 18, 2021, Doria took her son, Markel, to the emergency room. She had noticed how much weight he had lost, which did not sit right with her. During that emergency room visit, Markel was diagnosed with Stage IV Cancer. Within two weeks, Doria was told two of her five children had cancer.
Doria is the main caretaker for both of her children at this time. She is determined to stay strong for them. Doria’s week consists of driving back and forth between hospitals to sit in on doctor’s appointments, pick-up and drop-off for treatment, and pick up medications and supplies that are limited to one pharmacy 20 minutes away. She drives into work as much as she can to serve her community and the clients at the clinic. She continues to work because she needs to support herself and her family- as the money saved to fix her transmission, purchase a washer/dryer for her new home, new furniture, let alone the money to pay for gas, groceries, and rent are all going to her children’s medical bills as well as payments for Markel’s supplies and medications. Markel has a band-aid insurance plan as at this time he cannot enroll in Medicaid. This band-aid health insurance plan does not cover the medical supplies her children need, nor does it cover some of the chemotherapy treatment costs.
Doria is so grateful to friends and family who are supporting her with weekly gas money and various resources. The strength she has is slowly wearing. She grows more and more tired as each day brings new challenges- with Cecilia finding out that now there are lesions present on her liver and Markel being down to 113lbs. as finding the strength to eat becomes harder and harder for him. Doria has given her whole life to caring for others. We are turning to you now for help because you are part of our community. If you can spare anything to help Doria as she cares for her children during this overwhelmingly challenging time, she would be eternally grateful. The funds will be used to purchase medical supplies, pay bills for chemotherapy treatments, and support some of the daily needs of Doria herself such as gas, groceries, and rent. Thank you for reading and supporting Doria. It is a strong, supportive community that makes this world seem brighter in the darkest of times.