Barbara, my mom, is a lifelong resident of Illinois and a US Navy Nurse Corps veteran who has dedicated her life to caring for others. She is now facing a recurrence of a very rare myelin sheath cancer tumor. Last year, she was treated successfully with proton therapy under Cigna insurance, but now, as her cancer has returned, our current provider, Aetna, has denied coverage for the full course of proton therapy her doctors recommend.

This denial has been especially hard to understand, as Barbara’s doctor at Northwestern Medicine has advocated for her, and even Aetna’s own medical director agreed with the treatment plan—yet the coverage was still denied due to policy. Proton therapy is crucial for Barbara because one of her tumors is pressing dangerously close to her heart, and this precise treatment can target the tumor without harming vital organs. It’s heartbreaking to see a treatment that was once covered and proven effective now considered “experimental” by our insurance, especially when it was pioneered right here in our community.

Barbara has been hospitalized numerous times in the past month and also needs chemotherapy. The financial burden is overwhelming, and we are reaching out for help so she can access the care she needs. Any help would mean the world to us. We are grateful for any support you can give to help Barbara get the treatment she needs and deserves.