Main fundraiser photo

Battling Back..Just a couple more months

Donation protected

I am a 58 yr.old woman who was diagnosed with 2 cancers in the past 2 years. The first cancer was oral and i have that beat for the time being - survived that to then be diagnosed last March with lung cancer - this I have been actively battling since April of 2013. Chemotherapy, Chemotherapy + Radiation and Cyber Knife radiation. People tell me I look great but it's how I feel on the inside and how my body is not functioning properly that they cannot see. I appreciate their comments, but I wish I could explain my illness in depth to them. I now also am experiencing Hypothyroidism which is a common occurrence in Head & Neck cancer patienst who have gone through extensive radiation treatment. I have lived in San Rafael, CA for 31 + years and have worked diligently my whole life out here to own a very small home and have a simple life, never expecting to fall ill to cancer. I have lost everything except my house and my Sister who moved her life up here from LA to help me has also lost everything now as she spent all of her savings on me while undergoing my treatments, etc.. The financial loss is due to losing my job in the fall of 2012. Having no medical insurance at the time of my diagnosis, my savings, all of my savings went to paying for Medical coverage through a government program called PCIP which is no longer in existence. Now that I cannot work(which is driving me crazy) I receive a small amount of State Disability which basically covers gas and pays a couple of bills. My sister is in her 60's and disabled and receives a small social security payment from her deceased husband, but not enough for us to meet the mortgage payment, pay medical/prescription bills plus eat and pay all of the other bills like Gas and Electric and water. We live with only the bare essentials and I have never missed a mortgage payment and if I lose the house we will both be homeless. We just need some temporary help until my Soc Security/Disability kicks in. I continue to go for help. I have rented out the only room left in the house, I have gotten food stamps(no longer available because of State Disability) medi-cal, some help from St. Vincent DePaul, I go to the local food pantries, searched for grants, American Cancer Society, etc. Many of my friends have donated to this cause to get us through November & December but we are now faced with just February and March and then will finally make it to the other side of things. If we could just get through the next 2 mortgage payments/property payments we could get through another month or 2. I cannot refinance the house as I do not have the kind of income required. There is nothing worse than the worry of having your life end much earlier than you had expected and then losing everything after having worked so hard to keep things nice. My hair is slowly returning now(may be gone again if I have to return to chemo treatments), and my latest scan in December was a positive one, but still omnipresent - New scn in March!, but my spirit is just a bit broken still although struggling every day to make a comeback...... Any and all help would be appreciated beyond belief. No donation would be too small. I am a patient at UCSF/Mt. Zion and can provide diagnosis verification. THANK YOU & BLESS ALL OF YOU!!! Fighting to stay positive every day!!!! Nancy

Donate

Donations 

  • Christine Dwyer
    • $100 
    • 10 yrs
Donate

Organizer

Nancy Garrett
Organizer
San Rafael, CA

Your easy, powerful, and trusted home for help

  • Easy

    Donate quickly and easily.

  • Powerful

    Send help right to the people and causes you care about.

  • Trusted

    Your donation is protected by the  GoFundMe Giving Guarantee.