Hope's Unexpected Surgical Costs

Hello, My name is Drew, and Hope has been my best friend for almost a decade. She is one of the hardest working people I've ever met, so it's been nothing short of heartbreaking to see how she's struggled with her health and the exorbitant prices she's had to pay to exist in her body without complication. This GoFundMe is an attempt to offer some relief for a Breast Reduction, deemed medically necessary and supposed to be fully covered by insurance.

In 2016, Hope was in a serious accident; a woman who was texting and driving barrelled into Hope's stopped car at 50mph. This caused several back injuries that Hope still suffers from to this day. She received an 8k settlement that didn't even begin to cover the hospital bills, months of physical therapy, and her completely totaled car. She was only 18 years old when this incident depleted all of her savings and gave her chronic pain.

Five years later, in June of 2021, Hope went in for a normal physical, where her doctor discovered dangerously high calcium levels. This began a series of invasive, expensive specialized tests, and her doctors feared the worst. Her family has a consistent history of breast cancer, which was their initial suspicion. She was prescribed a breast reduction to avoid any possible cancer that may develop in the future.

It wasn't until April 2022, 10 months of testing later, that they realized her complications stemmed from an issue with her thyroid. Throughout this time, she was experiencing intense symptoms due to her abnormal calcium levels. Mainly the degeneration of her bones, which is just as scary as it sounds. She had so much weakness, shooting pains, extreme fatigue, and brain fog. Patients with her condition have been known to experience eventual atrophy of their brains if the problem is left untreated.

I took her to her surgery to have her thyroid treated in May 2022 (pictured). Her insurance covered the procedure but did not cover many of the medications she was prescribed. Those high expenses, coupled with all of the gas and time from work needed for approximately 60 doctor appointments, have depleted her hard-earned savings once again, with her medically necessary breast reduction still looming overhead.

During all of this, Hope was still working to support herself and was a full-time student, earning her bachelor's degree while in active recovery. A true testament to her drive and resilience. But she is mentally and physically at her limit. Her breast reduction was almost a shining light at the end of the tunnel. A symbolic end to all of the pain she's suffered since her car accident back when we were kids. Her F-cup breasts put an enormous strain on her neck and spine and exacerbate her injuries. Chronic pain and discomfort have been her reality for 6 years. She has watched her loved ones battle breast cancer firsthand, and her doctors anticipate the same for her. Her insurance was meant to cover her entire reduction, but two weeks before this life-changing surgery, she received a devastating phone call.

Riverside University Health System decided to cancel her surgery inexplicably. The surgery she had fought tooth and nail for was canceled on the day of her Pre-Op. Their excuse has been confirmed as unsubstantiated nonsense by other reputable surgeons. They wanted to reschedule her surgery for next year, when she may no longer have her insurance and her referral has expired, thus starting the year-long process all over again. I personally can't see this as anything other than gross medical negligence and extortion.

Hope has sought the same procedure with a private practice at my behest. If she continued in this broken system, I believe it would mean many more months or even years of chronic pain, constant appointments, and the possibility that she might not even have insurance to cover her surgery in the end. I couldn't bare to see her suffer in this way any longer and had hoped that the generosity of others might serve to make the brunt of this very difficult decision more palatable.

Any amount truly helps. Hope has always looked out for me since we were little, and I consider her my family. She is staunchly independent, and everything she has, she has made for herself. She's been made to believe that she has to carry all of her burdens alone, and I think many of us can relate to that feeling.

No matter my hardships, I have always chosen to believe in the good of others and the power of the collective. If her story has moved you in any way, and you are in a position where you're able to give comfortably, please consider helping my best friend. The amount proposed is what was quoted by the surgeon, and all proceeds will go directly towards helping her pay off this expense. Thank you so much for your time and consideration.