Teeth Not Included

My mother, Lorna Ravegum, has pretty much always done everything according to the "rules", including keeping up with both doctor and dentist well visits throughout her life. In the summer of 2013, she developed a lump on the inside of her lower bottom gumline. She was diagnosed with oral cancer. In the 2 months from diagnosis until surgery, the lump grew to the front of the gumline, forcing the surgeons to remove most of her lower jaw, replacing it with bone from her right leg. She has been recuperating for the past year (is cancer-free) and has been doing quite well - with 1 major drawback. She is living without teeth. The teeth needed to be removed during the surgery, due to the cancer. Here's the kicker: Insurance does NOT cover teeth and the cost is exhorbitant. She does not have the option of dentures due to the surgery. The framework for the implants is supposed to be covered, however, the teeth themselves are not. (What good is that, right?) The insurance companies will cover wigs for those who lose their hair during chemo (as well they should), but not teeth due to cancer surgery?! She is still working part time and would not feel so self-conscious when she talks if she had teeth. She also dreams of the day when she can actually eat a salad or a slice of pizza or anything that needs bitten into. My mother is a very young 73 year old, with good genes. Her father, my grandfather is going strong at 101 years young! (He has all of his own teeth.) I pray, in the future, that anyone who has cancer has all of the reconstruction covered under their medical insurance. Something is definitely wrong with the insurance system when you have paid into it your entire working life and then when you need to use your insurance, you are told, "It's not a necessity." I wonder, had any of the "powers that be" ever gone through this, would the ruling on not covering this quality of life issue be changed? The picture is one of Lorna from June 2013, one month prior to her tumor beginning, at her oldest granddaughter's high school graduation. Her wish is to have new teeth by June 2015, just in time for her second granddaughter's high school graduation. Any donation you make will go directly to covering the medical expenses associated with my mother getting new teeth! Thank you for your time and your donation, should you choose to donate.