Lee Ann's Medical/Family Fund

My name is Melanie LeBrecht Wesa. This is Lee Ann and her husband Gregg.  Lee and I grew up as sisters because our parents and our families were best friends and have continued to be throughout our lives. Lee LOVES to laugh A LOT  (it's important that you know that), has three incredible children and a sweet, patient and kind husband. I could go on and on about her huge heart and what a loving mother and friend she is but here is her story in her own words :

"It was the summer of 2013, I had just turned 48 and I got confirmation on my daughter’s 13th birthday that the biopsy was positive and both lymph nodes were full of cancer. I was a Stage IV, as they found two spots on my right lung as well. Deep down, I already “knew” it was cancer but hearing it as fact hit me hard. I knew I had a really tough road ahead of me and I was in for the fight of my life.

For some reason, I never asked “why me” or questioned why I had to deal with this. Why not me! I actually found myself thankful that it was me and not one of my friends or family, my husband or, God forbid, one of my children! I knew I could fight the fight. I knew I could put my head down and plow through. I am not sure I could have handled watching someone I love go through this so I was always thankful it was me facing cancer instead of one of them.
                                      Lee during chemo

I have a very clear memory of my thought process when this was all unfolding and realizing that cancer had come to our home and invaded our lives. Even though the doctors were telling me that my cancer was very aggressive, I was considered “young” and the pathology was not good, my first thoughts did not go to my life being in jeopardy. No one told me I was terminal. No one told me I was dying. They did tell me they were going to have to treat me very aggressively and it would not be easy. I somehow did not fear the cancer nor the treatments. I knew I could do whatever they told me to do.

However…THIS is what I did fear. The first thoughts that came to me, the conjuring of fear and concern came from two things: 1. How was I going to tell my kids and 2. We can NOT afford this. We truly cannot afford this! I never got angry at the cancer. I never got angry that I had to go through this. I got angry because this was going to financially change everything for us….my whole family. I was going to single handedly financially sink my family. A cancer patient should never have to have this worry on top of the fight for your life. But for me, THIS was the REAL fight. Affording the care to save my life. It was bad enough to be the one responsible for bringing cancer to your family but the consequences went so much deeper.

Everyone told us not to worry about the money, things will work out. Well, there were chemo drugs for my cancer, there was surgery to remove the tumor and there was radiation to hopefully kill any remaining cancer cells. But you know what there wasn’t? There wasn’t money coming in when I couldn’t work for almost 2 years, there wasn’t a way to recover one half of our household income, there wasn’t government help to bridge our gaps or money to buy the groceries. There was not a treatment for that.

Thankfully, we have wonderful insurance through my husband’s work. We are very blessed by that and we put it to the test. I had one chemo drug that cost $5,000 for EVERY infusion and I had to have that drug every three weeks for a full year. That was just ONE of the drugs!!! I have no idea how we would have navigated this without insurance. But truthfully, it is also all the behind the scenes costs that pile up and financially sink families. There are still co-pays, there are expensive tests that have to be done regularly, there is the loss of income, there are peripheral medical supplies and medications that are needed that do not fall under insurance…MANY of them. These are just to name a few. It is easy to get financially buried, and fast!

I guess my wish for all cancer patients and their families is that they would never have to have that extra financial burden to face on top of a cancer diagnosis. That fear for your life is fear enough! Families should never have to also face the fear of not being able to feed their family, the fear of not being able to pay utility bills, the fear of not being able to get the medical supplies one needs to fight the cancer, the fear of losing their house because you just can’t pay the mortgage. This “fear” list goes on and on. And it is REAL!!!never have to also face the fear of not being able to feed their family, the fear of not being able to pay utility bills, the fear of not being able to get the medical supplies one needs to fight the cancer, the fear of losing their house because you just can’t pay the mortgage. This “fear” list goes on and on. And it is REAL!!!

It will take us years to get out from underneath the debt cancer has brought to our family. We have never lived beyond our means and are pretty simple people. The true sadness cancer has brought to me is not what I had to go through. The sadness comes from not being able to help our oldest son with his college payments now, in having to tell my daughter we can’t afford to send her to Disney with her High School band class and every decision having to be based on whether or not we can afford it. My husband and I have worked hard our whole lives and done everything right. One summer, one phone call and one diagnosis changed it all." 

It will take us years to get out from underneath the debt cancer has brought to our family. We have never lived beyond our means and are pretty simple people. The true sadness cancer has brought to me is not what I had to go through. The sadness comes from not being able to help our oldest son with his college payments now, in having to tell my daughter we can’t afford to send her to Disney with her High School band class and every decision having to be based on whether or not we can afford it. My husband and I have worked hard our whole lives and done everything right. One summer, one phone call and one diagnosis changed it all."

The journey continues: 

 When I was with Lee over this past weekend she was giving me an update on her current Cancer Status.  She explained the constant pain in her hips was worse due to side effects from drugs she had tried to keep the Cancer away, but with tears in her eyes she began to talk about her fear of how much it will all cost as they try to find the reason for her excruciating pain. These drugs are meant to increase her chances for survival. She has had to stop the current drug due to pain that put her over the edge and caused her to end up in the ER. Without one of these drugs her chances of survival go down considerably.  Her family is always her first concern. The toll it's taken on their wallet and IF she were to conintue the drug she would have to take pain killers that would not allow her to drive the school bus she so loves to drive. Without her working she loses that income that helps sustain their family. Lee and her husband Gregg have a 401K through Gregg's work and because of that they are not eligible for any kind of assistance.  This means whatever the insurance won't cover they have to pay out of pocket.  This has already created a very tight budget for their family and will continue to create a huge financial burden in the months and years to come.  Although this Cancer was not something she could have prevented, she feels responsible for her families financial struggles.  With an unknown amount yet to be disclosed as they try to find the cause of her pain, this will put them into a financial burden that will become unsustainable. As we continued to talk and with her looking at me not knowing what to do,it was clear what I needed to do.  With a small donation from all of you she can get the medical assistance she needs and ease her mind when it comes to the cost.                              Madison, Austin and Drake

Please consider helping Lee, Gregg and their three children Austin, Drake and Madison, as they move forward to put Lee in a situation that will extend her life well into the future and most importantly ease her pain in every way! We all hope this never becomes our story or perhaps it already has but without the support of those around us it's almost impossible to survive.  Please help my sister and her family begin to see the light at the end of the this horribly long tunnel they've been in.                         Lee and myself at Bristol Lake
                            (our most favorite place)

Lots of love and gratitude in advance,
Melanie

PS  I just got off the phone with Lee.  They were on their way to see an Orthopedic because she had yet another episode of uncontrolable pain in her hip.  She needs to go to The University of Michigan for a consultation etc. and this alone she has put off because of the cost.  This is a situation that has become an emergency financial crisis.  I had to call her to get permission to do this campaign and she has been reluctant and has turned down so many others who have also offered.   She said today she no longer has a choice.  She has accepted my plea and this is why there is a campaign to raise money to basically save her life and keep her family safe.  Much love.  m