I need to pay for Chemotherapy
Donation protected
Hi! I'm Sue Wood. I have Stage IV Metastatic Cancer. I've been in treatment for the last three years and everything seemed stable until two months ago, when I learned my cancer has spread to my brain.
I just finished a week of radiation treatments and have had a second and third opinion on the next course of action. Three oncologists, including one from The Mayo Clinic have recommended I begin a chemotherapy treatment called Avastin®️. This treatment targets cancer cells that may grow in the brain, whereas conventional chemotherapies do not go to the brain. I was all set to get this chemotherapy today. The IV was in place and I was settling in for an hour of treatments, when my doctor rushed in to say my insurance company is denying this treatment. The IV was pulled out of my arm and I was sent out the door. I called my insurance company this afternoon and they are claiming this chemotherapy treatment is not necessary.
I'm determined not to be devastated by the ruthlessness of insurance companies. My insurance company receives over $700 a month from me - which is enormous for me since my sole source of income is a disability check (less than $2,000. a month).
I live in Lincoln, Nebraska and am a responsible, tax paying citizen. I have spent my entire career in international relief, so I have served the poorest of the poor for over 30 years and have enjoyed a satisfying career. When I was first diagnosed with cancer in 2001 I had great insurance through my employer. When I was an independent consultant I could not get health insurance, so when my cancer returned in 2009 I had to pay for it on my own. A 14 hour surgery, four reconstructive surgeries, chemotherapy and four years of follow-up wiped out my savings and retirement. I was just getting back on my financial feet when in 2015 my cancer came back with gusto.
I am not complaining. I've lived in countries where people have no access to basic healthcare, so I understand I am very lucky, but I have enormous medical debt I'm trying to pay off, so paying for chemotherapy is absolutely not in my budget, but I don't want to die.
I WANT TO LIVE
... and I want to give back to my community, so I want to get this Avastin chemotherapy as soon as possible. I will find a lawyer who can help me to get my insurance company to be reasonable, but it will be a long process.
I know everyone has challenges and issues and I've heard some rather harsh comments from people in my hometown about asking for help, but before you get angry or frustrated with me, I would respectfully ask you to put yourself in my position. I'm not lazy or spoiled. I drive a 17 year old Beetle or often take the bus. I don't take vacations, go out to dinner, go shopping or spend money on anything except what is absolutely necessary, and I do quite a bit of volunteer work -- and again, I'm not complaining.
I've tried to be a good civil servant. I've served my country for over thirty years - living and working in some of the poorest, most dangerous places in the world. If you were me, would you roll over and die? - or would you ask for help? I certainly hope it's the latter. I'm not asking anyone to pay my entire chemotherapy bill, but if you are in a position too make even a modest contribution it would be greatly appreciated. I promise you I will pay it forward.
Thank you in advance for anything you can contribute. Also, if anyone reading this has just been diagnosed with cancer, my message to you is DON'T PANIC. You can live with this if you stay organized. The only big challenge is money. But again, don't panic.
Again, thank you in advance for any help you can offer. I send you all my heartfelt thanks.
Much love,
~Sue
I just finished a week of radiation treatments and have had a second and third opinion on the next course of action. Three oncologists, including one from The Mayo Clinic have recommended I begin a chemotherapy treatment called Avastin®️. This treatment targets cancer cells that may grow in the brain, whereas conventional chemotherapies do not go to the brain. I was all set to get this chemotherapy today. The IV was in place and I was settling in for an hour of treatments, when my doctor rushed in to say my insurance company is denying this treatment. The IV was pulled out of my arm and I was sent out the door. I called my insurance company this afternoon and they are claiming this chemotherapy treatment is not necessary.
I'm determined not to be devastated by the ruthlessness of insurance companies. My insurance company receives over $700 a month from me - which is enormous for me since my sole source of income is a disability check (less than $2,000. a month).
I live in Lincoln, Nebraska and am a responsible, tax paying citizen. I have spent my entire career in international relief, so I have served the poorest of the poor for over 30 years and have enjoyed a satisfying career. When I was first diagnosed with cancer in 2001 I had great insurance through my employer. When I was an independent consultant I could not get health insurance, so when my cancer returned in 2009 I had to pay for it on my own. A 14 hour surgery, four reconstructive surgeries, chemotherapy and four years of follow-up wiped out my savings and retirement. I was just getting back on my financial feet when in 2015 my cancer came back with gusto.
I am not complaining. I've lived in countries where people have no access to basic healthcare, so I understand I am very lucky, but I have enormous medical debt I'm trying to pay off, so paying for chemotherapy is absolutely not in my budget, but I don't want to die.
I WANT TO LIVE
... and I want to give back to my community, so I want to get this Avastin chemotherapy as soon as possible. I will find a lawyer who can help me to get my insurance company to be reasonable, but it will be a long process.
I know everyone has challenges and issues and I've heard some rather harsh comments from people in my hometown about asking for help, but before you get angry or frustrated with me, I would respectfully ask you to put yourself in my position. I'm not lazy or spoiled. I drive a 17 year old Beetle or often take the bus. I don't take vacations, go out to dinner, go shopping or spend money on anything except what is absolutely necessary, and I do quite a bit of volunteer work -- and again, I'm not complaining.
I've tried to be a good civil servant. I've served my country for over thirty years - living and working in some of the poorest, most dangerous places in the world. If you were me, would you roll over and die? - or would you ask for help? I certainly hope it's the latter. I'm not asking anyone to pay my entire chemotherapy bill, but if you are in a position too make even a modest contribution it would be greatly appreciated. I promise you I will pay it forward.
Thank you in advance for anything you can contribute. Also, if anyone reading this has just been diagnosed with cancer, my message to you is DON'T PANIC. You can live with this if you stay organized. The only big challenge is money. But again, don't panic.
Again, thank you in advance for any help you can offer. I send you all my heartfelt thanks.
Much love,
~Sue
Organizer
Susan T Wood
Organizer
Lincoln, NE
