Hi my name is Kristen. I am trying to help my aunt with her life-saving cancer treatment.

Below is Olga's story:

I am a mother of three wonderful children and have three grand-daughters. I adore my family and want to be here to see my grandchildren grow up.

In March of 2020, I was diagnosed with Diffuse Large Cell Lymphoma. As a result of my illness, I underwent extensive medical care along with chemotherapy and was unable to work at my profession as a Medical Assistant. My employer and my family did what they could to assist me but I had no income. I was forced to use my small 401K to pay my bills, medical bills, and prescriptions until it was exhausted.

After undergoing extensive and expensive treatment for months during 2020 and into 2021, I was deemed to be in remission. Although I was still not feeling 100% I needed to go back to work in order to pay my vast medical bills and attempt to support myself and continue to prepare for retirement.

Unfortunately, symptoms returned shortly and in July 2021 I was diagnosed with remission of the non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma and a more aggressive Hodgkin's Lymphoma. Once again I am receiving treatment at Moffit Cancer center including a complex chemotherapy and immunotherapy. This time around my employer was unable to help with payment for my medical care or provide financial assistance.

I am a 56 year old woman with no assets and have no income. Without the assistance of my family, many of whom are retired and on fixed incomes, I would be homeless and have no funds for food, clothing, or prescriptions.

I have applied for Florida Medicaid but have received no response or assistance after months of waiting. I applied for Social Security Disability in 2020 and was denied. I have applied again but after months am still waiting for a response. Moffit Cancer Center has an internal insurance plan for which I applied. On 10/20/2021 I received a response that I was "unqualified" for their medical assistance, therefore I cannot continue my medical care as prescribed because I have no insurance and no funds. Moffit has continued the active chemotherapy treatment but I am concerned about the incurred medical costs so far and about receiving approval to continue to the next stage of my treatment.

This places me in a dire medical situation as without treatment I will not survive - I will die.