Danielle Olivas ~ Save the Ta Tas

My name is Danielle Olivas and I am a 34 year old married mother of two awesome boys ages 12 & 13, a wonderful husband, foster mom to 2 dogs and volunteer Victim Advocate with the local Sheriff's Department. I work hard, my husband works harder to provide for our family. I started getting mammograms at age 30 due to a HUGE family history of early onset breast cancer. In August I had my yearly mammogram and there were "significant" changes from the last one. I immediately scheduled an ultrasound of the area in question only to find out our insurance had been cancelled because my husband lost his job at the end of July, 2014.

The radiologist is optimistic, but cautious that the lump in question is just breast tissue that is in a really weird place. I had a follow up mammogram earlier this week. The lump is still there and now needs to be biopsied. 

Now comes the part that has blown my mind..... We cannot afford insurance, we do not qualify for Medicaid, and ObamaCare wants nearly $800 a month. We literally cannot afford it. I have called the American Cancer Society, National Breast Cancer Foundation, Breast Cancer Fund, National Cancer Institute, Women's Wellness Connection, Key to Life and our local hospitals for assistance in the cost of the follow up care that is required at this time.

I CANNOT get assistance because of my age...... If I were 40, I could go anywhere and get anything I needed. I am 34 years old with a family history of early onset breast cancer, I cannot afford insurance, I cannot afford the care needed, I can't get help. Despite the many hours on the phone, no one is willing to help due to my age. In the world we live in, I would NEVER have thought I would be discriminated against because of my age. I feel hopeless and lost. For the past 7 months I have lain awake at night hoping for the best, but preparing for the worst. I feel shattered and alone.

I don't know where else to turn, what else to do. The hospitals here in town have been great. They have offered monthly payments at a reasonable if no interest rate, However, what if you were like us and can’t afford another monthly payment?

The money raised through this Go Fund Me will be put towards existing and future medical costs associated with the mammograms and biopsy. ANY ADDITIONAL FUNDS RAISED WILL GO TOWARDS GRANTS FOR WOMEN IN MY SITUATION HERE IN WESTERN COLORADO!! I am working with Dr. Neste and Sahauna at Colorado Canyons Hospital to make this a reality not just for me, but to every woman out there that needs screening!

There is a total lack of access to breast cancer health care for those of us under 40! Why?

• Each year, approximately 70 thousand men and women age 15 to 39 are diagnosed with cancer in the US. Breast cancer is the most common cancer for women in this age group.
• Women ages 15 to 34 and 35 to 54 die more frequently from breast cancer than any other cancer.
• In 2011, the American Cancer Society projected 230,480 new cases of invasive breast cancer among U.S. women annually, as well as an estimated 57,650 additional cases of in situ breast cancer. It is estimated that 13,110 cases of breast cancer will be in women under age 40 and approximately 26,275 women will be under 45 years of age.
• Every year, nearly 1,200 women under age 40 die from breast cancer
http://www.youngsurvival.org/breast-cancer-in-young-women/learn/statistics-and-disparities

Thank you for taking the time to read this.
Danielle Olivas


Statistics and Disparities | Young Survival Coalition
www.youngsurvival.org
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