Help Adam Continue His Lifesaving Cancer Treatments

*Update*

Adam wishes to share this update on his health and medical expenses.

"In the last several months I have still been trying to fight this disease. I have used previous funds raised to help pay for chemo, as well as paying towards the six figure balance I have with the hospital due to the chemo treatments, ER visits, and admitted stays. I also continue to pay my monthly insurance premiums, my portion of monthly stay at a care facility, for some personal items they don’t provide, as well as the copays for cancer and non cancer medications. I also make payments to the company that provides ambulance services for the hospital.

As of late, I have become immunocompromised, and am at constant danger of potentially fatal bleeds. The growth on my pancreas has slowly grown to almost the size of a golf ball, and my blood sugar has become difficult to control due to my pancreas overproducing insulin. My kidney function has dropped, and now having constant kidney stones. I now have to use a CPAP machine at night along with occasional use of an oxygen tank due to decreasing lung functions. A tiny amount of damage has occurred to an area of my heart that contains electrical nodes, causing intermittent arrhythmias."

If his health challenges were not enough, the exuberant cost of his treatments make the threat of having to stop his chemo a very real possibility. Adam continues to fight with the hospitals and insurance companies to adequately cover his medical expenses, and he is close to having not enough funds to continue his chemo treatments. If this happens, Adam's prognosis worsens considerably. Any additional donation will not only ensure that Adam stays with us for as long as possible, but will go to continuing his necessary medical treatments and paying off some of his debt.

No person should have to struggle this hard for good medical care in our country. And when our government and institutions fail us, we always come together as a family and community to do what is needed for our friends. No Matter what is given, Adam and I will forever be grateful for all your generosity and love.

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*Original Post*

Hello! My name is Matt. I am a librarian and active on TikTok (rockin.librarian). This is my friend Adam. Adam is an active member in the TikTok debate community. He has been with me and my friends on TikTok since the beginning. Adam has been bravely fighting cancer for a while now, and although he made some progress, his insurance decided to cut off his lifesaving treatments. He is now greatly struggling to keep up with his bills while also maintaining his health. Below is Adam's story in his own words:

"It all started in December 2023. I developed a severe cellulitis and MRSA infection which caused my left leg to triple in size. I ended up having surgery to remove an abscess deep in my leg. I was then sent to a rehab care facility to heal and do physical therapy. I went on medical leave from work at this time. While here, I developed a severe case of COVID which had me bedridden for about 3 weeks. After my wound was healed, I was still doing physical therapy.

Not long after, I developed weird symptoms and after a battery of tests, I was diagnosed with an acute form of leukemia. I soon started on chemo and a daily medication regimen. Over time, my chemo and medication dosages were slowly increased as my condition was not responding. In September of last year, I had two emergency surgeries within a week to fix a splenic and intestinal bleed, as the leukemia was decimating my clotting factors. I have continued to be in the care facility and on medical leave, owing my financial survival to the smart decision of having short and long-term disability insurance through work.

Recently, my health insurance company decided to cut off my chemo treatments, mostly due to "lack of improvement or progression after an extended period of treatment." I submitted an appeal, and as of this writing, a case manager still has not been assigned.

They then refused to pay for my daily pill regimen, citing as evidence that being on the highest dosage was unnecessary, and that the lowest dosage should suffice, or that a different lower-cost medication would work, even though my doctors advised that the medication that I was on was the best for the type of leukemia I had, especially with it not responding to the chemo. That has also been included in my appeal. This medication is about $600 per tablet, so paying out of pocket is not an option.

Even with all that, the insurance company continues to cause me nothing but grief. My doctors at the cancer center and the care facility are constantly fighting with them over how much pain, anxiety, and nausea medicine I should be allowed per day. Since the beginning of the year, copays for appointments and especially medications have been climbing, with little or no justification. The copay for the care facility where I am residing has even gone up.

I am draining myself through the cost of copays for the care facility, doctor's appointments, my portion owed for chemo treatments, keeping my health insurance, and my daily medication to manage symptoms as well as my multiple anxiety and depressive disorders. My clotting factors have dropped more after being cut off and I have developed multiple micro clots in the tiny blood vessels throughout my body."

Matt again. Adam is in a bad place right now. He is struggling in his battle against this greedy corporation and could use our help. He has shown nothing but love and support to the TikTok debate community for years, and as the community has shown time and again, when one of us needs help, the community springs into action. Any monetary donation is greatly appreciated and help to keep Adam alive.

From the bottom of all our hearts, we thank you for helping Adam in these difficult times.