HELP HALEY FIGHT CANCER BILLS

Hello, my name is Haley Peterson and I’m 23 years old. Two years ago today (1/1/19) I woke up to a phone call that changed my life forever. I was told that I had Medullary Thyroid Cancer (a rare form of thyroid cancer). I did not realize how impactful disease is on someone’s body, mind, and financially. Our healthcare system is in a crisis right now in this country. The cost of care for someone with a rare cancer like Medullary Thyroid Cancer and the constant monitoring that will need to be done the rest of my life is extensive. It is not for the faint of heart. I can tell you that I’ve been through my fair share by the age of 23 and have learned a lot of things. You shift and change through disease and you end up loosing a lot of yourself but you also gain a strength that is undeniable. This past summer I was healing my mind and body of the emotional and physical pain of the Medullary Thyroid Cancer. I finally found the best team to help me fight my disease. But the medical bills never stopped just as the disease will never go away. But life is unpredictable and you really don’t know how strong you are until you are faced with it head on. I was already dealing with the medical debt that was continuing to climb from the past two years of dealing with the cancer. I was then diagnosed with Hashimotos disease and Leaky gut syndrome. Which are both likely causes that led to my cancer diagnosis. Mentally, psychically, and financially dealing with one disease is challenging but to add in another I knew I was going to need to seek out help. I also want people to know it’s okay to ask for help!! There’s no shame. My diet is extremely restrictive and expensive (all organic and whole foods) and my days are spent on self timers telling me when to take my next supplement or pill. The costs that come with autoimmune diseases and cancer is almost impossible for any average family to afford. I am fighting every day for my health and life yet I am drowning in debt. This is why I decided to reach out to my community for help. This is a battle that I will not win on my own. If anyone knows of an organization or financial support for young survivors and fighters of disease please let me know. Thank you for your help, shares, and donations! Love, Haley Peterson