Donation protected
Hello everyone! Thank you for taking a moment to visit my page. I am new to this online thing so bare with me.
I was diagnosed in December of 2004, at the age of 20, with a rare bone cancer named Osteosarcoma. It was located in my right fibula. I did about 14 months of chemotherapy but had to amputate my leg just above the knee. I was given a clean bill of health and was in remission since Valentines day of 2006. Unfortunately in September of 2013 I began experiencing health issues again. At the time I didnt have health insurance so I prolonged seeking treatment. Once it got bad enough, constant coughing/vomiting/weight loss, I went to the emergency room and they discovered that the cancer was back. This time it was in my right lung and the tumor was very large, about 80% of the lobe. I started chemotherapy immediately. I was also put on a strong radiation regiment too. In January i faced a new setback when my mediport became infected and had to be removed. I continued to receive radiation for a few months but could no longer get IV chemotherapy. No my Dr's have come across a new chemo drug that is giving us high hopes for treatment.
The problem my wife and I am facing financially, and the reason I started this fundraising campaign is we are now facing an overwhelming amount of medical bills. When I was diagnosed again this time around I did not have any insurance at all. To make matters worse I was a new employee at the time and was let go from my job when I was first hospitalized. I applied to get my medicare reinstated but it took from September until March of 2014 for it to finally get approved. Once I was finally given the Medicare determination letter of my disabiliy my Medicaid was finally approved as well, but with a start date of May 1st 2014. This leaves me with 6 full months of zero medical coverage full of medical bills, as well as another two months of only partial coverage. To put it lightly I have alot of medical bills now. I do not expect this fundraiser to solve all of our financial woes, but if it can at least give us a moment to breath, I will be forever grateful. If more happens, then that is amazing but not expected at all.
I was diagnosed in December of 2004, at the age of 20, with a rare bone cancer named Osteosarcoma. It was located in my right fibula. I did about 14 months of chemotherapy but had to amputate my leg just above the knee. I was given a clean bill of health and was in remission since Valentines day of 2006. Unfortunately in September of 2013 I began experiencing health issues again. At the time I didnt have health insurance so I prolonged seeking treatment. Once it got bad enough, constant coughing/vomiting/weight loss, I went to the emergency room and they discovered that the cancer was back. This time it was in my right lung and the tumor was very large, about 80% of the lobe. I started chemotherapy immediately. I was also put on a strong radiation regiment too. In January i faced a new setback when my mediport became infected and had to be removed. I continued to receive radiation for a few months but could no longer get IV chemotherapy. No my Dr's have come across a new chemo drug that is giving us high hopes for treatment.
The problem my wife and I am facing financially, and the reason I started this fundraising campaign is we are now facing an overwhelming amount of medical bills. When I was diagnosed again this time around I did not have any insurance at all. To make matters worse I was a new employee at the time and was let go from my job when I was first hospitalized. I applied to get my medicare reinstated but it took from September until March of 2014 for it to finally get approved. Once I was finally given the Medicare determination letter of my disabiliy my Medicaid was finally approved as well, but with a start date of May 1st 2014. This leaves me with 6 full months of zero medical coverage full of medical bills, as well as another two months of only partial coverage. To put it lightly I have alot of medical bills now. I do not expect this fundraiser to solve all of our financial woes, but if it can at least give us a moment to breath, I will be forever grateful. If more happens, then that is amazing but not expected at all.
Organizer
Mike Brown
Organizer
Charter Township of Clinton, MI