Most people recognize the importance of healthcare workers, people who provide life saving care to members of our community and our loved ones.  What people may not so readily see is the struggles these people can be facing in their own lives, sometimes life-or-death health concerns while still providing professional and loving care to others. One such case is Tami, an amazing post-operative registered nurse at Capital Medical Center. Tami was diagnosed with breast cancer in December, 2016. Her surgery revealed stage II triple negative breast cancer at that time, meaning the disease had spread outside the primary tumor and into the surrounding tissues, with triple negative affecting only 10-20% of breast cancer patients and having the lowest 5-year survival rates. A diagnosis necessitating not only surgery but also chemotherapy and radiation treatments. During this time, Tami never missed an opportunity to work and provide care to others, all the while demonstrating her usual professional and cheerful demeanor.  Frequently in her daily work she would care for patients, just as herself, undergoing mastectomy, lymph node dissection, chemotherapy and radiation.  Watching her care for the the very patients that have become her sisters and brothers in arms due to this devastating disease was amazing to say the very least.  Being witness to her selflessness, courageousness and empathy was truly inspiring. It challenges each of us around her to follow her lead daily, striving to become better doctors, nurses and human beings. Late 2018, Tami received more devastating news that her disease was less responseive to treatments than hoped and that her disease had progressed to stage III, meaning it had spread beyond the immediate region of the primary tumor and into her lymph nodes. This time, it has been necessary for Tami to take an extended time off work for more surgery, more chemotherapy and more radiation treatments.  What people may find shocking and appalling is that part of her prescribed chemotherapy regimen is being denied by Blue Cross and Blue Shield, and her short term disability is being denied by Lincoln Fianancial so she is unable to receive any of her back pay. To make ends meet while fighting for her benefits during the fight for her life, she was required to use what “vacation time” she had accrued. Additionally, very recently her FMLA has also run out so all she can do is hope and pray that the corporation to whom she has given so many years will still provide a job for her at the end of this treatment period.  

Please, please help get the word out and help one who helps so many. There is no one more deserving.