Jimmy  Darts

SB Mowing

Pattie Gonia

Little Miss Flint

Kalina Silverman

Samuel Weidenhofer

Patriotic Kenny Foundation

Ben Saunders

The Dogist

Peter Bond

Amy Jandrisevits

Ask Uncle Jack

That Good News Girl

Tess Bohne

FowlMouthFarmer

Latonja and Taylor Richardson

Officer Richard Craig

Flavor Flav

John Wolfe

Khloe

<div><strong>Dear Mercy Hospital: </strong><em>No one should have to battle cancer while battling the legal system.</em>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We are standing with the Shields Family as they ask Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City to take accountability for patient and employee harm.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>To know the Shields family is to know a family who is a force for good. They’ve kept their struggles very private over the past year hoping for a quiet resolution and avoidance of scandal to the Church, but with the recent severe turn in Marcus's health, they know it's time to share more publicly to receive support.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>You can read more about their story below.</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>In brief, Marcus, a previously totally healthy 30-year-old, never smoker, was recently diagnosed with a very rare form of <strong>Stage IV Neuroendocrine Lung Cancer. </strong>This diagnosis comes at an incredibly difficult time, following Jenny’s recent job loss from Mercy Hospital OKC, stemming from retaliation for refusing to participate in<strong> Mercy’s attempts to conceal patient harm.</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Their story demonstrates the harsh realities of speaking up against powerful systems, the personal costs of doing what's right, and an ongoing battle, not just against cancer, but against a system seemingly indifferent to its own flaws.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We thank you for reading their story, sharing it with others who may be able to help, and for helping to bridge the massive financial gap left behind.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>A Year of Unprecedented Challenges</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>In May 2023, while serving as the Director of Ethics for the Western Region of Mercy Health System, Dr. Jenny Shields, a Clinical Psychologist and Healthcare Bioethicist was drawn into the case of a woman named <a href="https://www.oscn.net/dockets/GetCaseInformation.aspx?db=oklahoma&amp;number=CJ-2020-5122&amp;cmid=3922200" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Ms Tracy Chatmon</a>, who underwent a diagnostic biopsy at Mercy Hospital Oklahoma City and revealed lung cancer. Ms. Chatmon was not informed of her cancer diagnosis by Mercy for 532 days, during which time, her cancer tripled in size. Although Jenny wasn't employed by Mercy at the time of Ms. Chatmon’s treatment and had no direct involvement in her care, her role as the Hospital Ethicist required her to provide a deposition on the ethical implications of withholding such critical health information.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The core question was,
</div>
<div><strong><em>"Can a patient make informed decisions about their medical care without having their test results?”</em></strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The answer is <a href="https://code-medical-ethics.ama-assn.org/ethics-opinions/reporting-clinical-test-results#:~:text=Test%252520results%252520are%252520conveyed%252520sensitively,informed%252520consent%252520to%252520future%252520treatment." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">unequivocally no</a>. Jenny knew this, as would most individuals with at least a fourth grade education.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Required to testify about the hospital's failure during the upcoming deposition, Jenny chose to uphold her ethical duty against immense pressure from hospital representatives. Her commitment to transparency resulted in severe personal and professional retaliation. She suffered derogatory labels (i.e., branding her a<strong><em> "plaintiffs’ whore"</em></strong>), experienced threats from hospital leadership, and ultimately required a forced health-related leave of absence in August 2023.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The fallout was devastating - she lost her job, her professional standing, and suffered significant health declines. Moreover, she was ineligible for disability benefits and workers' compensation due to policy exclusions on employer harm and resulting emotional injury, leading to the depletion of the entirety of their emergency and retirement savings.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Hoping for a fresh start, their family made the difficult decision to move to Houston, Texas, after she was offered a faculty position at MD Anderson Cancer Center. However, once the center learned about her actions and the impact on her health, they began advertising to hire for a new position, and ultimately rescinded her employment offer, leading to a loss of <strong>$40,000</strong> in promised reimbursement for moving expenses and sign on bonuses, leaving them entirely responsible for the debt they’d incurred to move.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>As their family sought to determine a legal remedy, they discovered they had very little recourse, as Mercy Hospital was protected under something called the<strong> </strong>"<a href="https://uscatholic.org/articles/202404/church-employees-are-vulnerable-to-workplace-injustice/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">ministerial exception</a>," which exempts religious institutions from certain civil employment laws.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong><em>“MERCY HEALTH MINISTRY WAS FORMED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CANONICAL STATUTES AND IS AN ENTITY FOR CANON LAW PURPOSES ONLY, AS IT IS NOT INCORPORATED UNDER THE CIVIL LAWS OF ANY STATE.”</em></strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This barrier prevented any meaningful legal recourse, costing them more than <strong>$50,000 </strong>in legal fees without resolution.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Mercy appeared to acknowledge their misconduct in every way:
</div>
<ul>
<li>The President of the Hospital who made the threats was encouraged to step down from his role.
</li>
<li>The Attorney who participated in the defamation was taken off the case and asked to leave his firm.
</li>
<li>A new Senior Vice President and Chief Legal Officer was announced, with a press release noting increased commitment to “integrity, ethics, and compliance.”
</li>
</ul>
<div>But despite this harm, Mercy continued to ignore the substantial financial and personal consequences to their family. This appears to be a result of the hospitals knowledge the limited avenues for being held accountable.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Amidst their legal battles and financial struggles, they also lost their anticipated insurance coverage through MD Anderson. Three days later, they came down with what they thought was a viral illness. All of them recovered from this illness, however, Marcus's symptoms persisted through late May. At the end of the month, his face began to swell and they noticed several other concerning symptoms.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On <strong>June 5, 2024,</strong> Marcus began to experience significant disorientation and malaise after running errands with their two young sons. They attempted to visit the emergency room that night but were told he should drive himself to a different facility due to a belief that his disorientation was the result of mental health concerns. Despite Jenny’s advocacy that he had never experienced paranoia or delusions, the provider declined to rule out physical health symptoms, noting that this work up should be conducted at hospital more equipped to manage mental illness.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>They returned home for the night, however, his disorientation rapidly progressed and he was ultimately admitted to the hospital on June 6, 2024 with multifocal pneumonia, severe sepsis, and metabolic encephalopathy.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Marcus, a previously healthy 30-year-old, with no prior family history of cancer and no personal history of smoking, underwent multiple tests to identify how he had become so ill. The results were shocking: his imaging revealed "innumerable" nodules in his left lung. Tragically, he required a CT Guided, Percutaneous Biopsy to determine the cause.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>In case the cruel irony is lost, this is the exact procedure that Ms. Chatmon had undergone at Mercy Hospital OKC.</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>On <strong>June 22, 2024,</strong> Marcus was diagnosed with a rare, rapidly progressing form of neuroendocrine lung cancer. Adding to their ordeal, the Houston hospital, much like Mercy years before, failed to promptly communicate these critical biopsy results to their family.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>This exceptionally cruel twist of fate has not only intensified their call for accountability and change within healthcare but has also underscored their urgent need for community support as they navigate the difficult road ahead.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>HOW YOU CAN HELP</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Financial Support.</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The Shields family never thought they would turn to crowdfunding their expenses; they have always worked incredibly hard to prepare ourselves for financial emergencies (see this <a href="https://www.kjrh.com/news/local-news/oklahoma-couple-pays-off-mounds-of-debt" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">news story</a> of their family from 2018), however, they could have never prepared themselves for a financial crisis of this magnitude.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>After spending<strong> &gt;$50,000</strong> on legal fees for attempted resolution and losing an additional <strong>$40,000</strong> from the rescinded job offer while facing daunting out of pocket medical expenses <strong>&gt;$35,000</strong>, it has become clear that they cannot face this battle alone. They desperately need the help of their community.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>SHARE THEIR STORY</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>If the chances of developing such a rare type of lung cancer are 0.23 to 1.36 cases per year, then the chance of such a diagnosis coming directly following a job loss for speaking up for another with lung cancer has got to be near to one in a billion.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The last few weeks, they have fumbled their way through the stages of grief. 
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>They cannot make any sense of this.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Why this? Why them? Why now?</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>Jenny has shared repeatedly that this is a story they never would have written for themselves - but the steady cry of their hearts remains the same.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong><em>“God, would you make something good of this?”</em></strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>The Shields family is committed to using their story to drive change and protect others from similar harm. This is where you come in. Every share extends their reach for support and brings awareness for change.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>WHAT THEY BELIEVE</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Absolute Accountability:</strong> 
</div>
<div>No one should have to battle cancer while battling the legal system. Healthcare systems must not be allowed to shield their misconduct. Acknowledging faults privately but contesting them in public courts undermines justice and prolongs the suffering of affected families. This dishonest practice must end. This can only happen through bringing these stories to the public light.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Patient Rights Upheld:</strong> 
</div>
<div>Timely and accurate communication of medical results is a fundamental patient right. Hospitals must ensure transparency and immediate rectification of any communication failures. The right to know is a right to life. When failures happen, they should be admitted, and timely steps should be taken to mitigate the harm.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Ending ‘At-Will’ Employment for Healthcare Workers: </strong>
</div>
<div>Real protection for healthcare workers goes beyond policy documents. The prevalent ‘at-will’ employment model allows employers to disguise retaliation, threatening the safety and integrity of healthcare services. Your own safety in seeking medical care depends upon your willingness to advocate for the job protections of those who care for you.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><strong>Universal Protection: </strong>
</div>
<div>All employees, regardless of their workplace or the religious affiliation of their employer, deserve robust protections against unfair treatment and discrimination. Catholic health systems, leveraging tax-exempt status through their religious affiliation, must genuinely embody their declared ethical standards, including social responsibility. This means that Catholic healthcare ministries must not yield religious freedom as a weapon against those they employ.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>We thank you in advance for sharing their story, helping them bridge the gap financially, and for standing in their corner.
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div><em>"The endurance of darkness is preparation for great light."</em>
</div>
<div><strong>- St. John of the Cross</strong>
</div>
<div><br />
</div>
<div>#ShieldsStrong
</div>

Support The Shields Family

Dr. Jenny Shields

platform

Platform is iOS

Android

Adyen Google Pay Development Audience

$opt_dummy_attribute

English only

Deprecate Stripe Legacy

dyn_template_ids

Adyen V6 Bene Transfer & MyMoney Campaign Organizers - test01

Bene transfer V6 and AdyenV6MyMoney Campaign Organizers - production

adyen_v6_suspend_unsuspend_TEST01

adyen_v6_suspend_unsuspend_PROD

OneTrust next-app audience

fundCountryCode

NextDoor Share Option Users

Fundraisers with Reactions feature capability

externalAccountHolderAccountCode

Adyen Account Holders with a large number of accounts

fundCurrencyCode

US + Non-charity COs Only

locale

fund country is US and user language is English

personId

comms-internal-person-ids

Enhanced Story Experience Users

Suggested Goal Experience Users

user language is English and fund country: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

Poster share - new funds eligible (newest 9/18)

Streaming widgets beta user

paymentProcessor

3DS payment method

user language is English and fundCountry: US, AU, DK, FI, IE, NO, SE, CA, GB; 

currencyCode

Money Box Donation List Prompt Experiment Audience

GoFundMe Employees

ipAddress

Mark Rieth IP Address

Version 9.2.0 and above

Fund is in English speaking country

desktop

Platform is Android

admin pr kit prod

EUR Donation Upsell

(prod) new funds eligible for amp12 (UGC gallery)

fintrac_cad_idv_form_v2 audience

fund country is US and user language is English (amp15)

route.pathname community

Finland (FI) users

France (FR) users

US Donation Upsell audience 

Auto Thanks Feature Audience

NPO Team test personId (prod)

Luxembourg (LU) users

fundId

Fundraiser Saved Payment Method Rate Limit Bypass (Production)

leaderboard-partner-id-audience-givepanel

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD) (amp17)

Version 9.2.1 and above

AUD Donation Upsell audience

fundraiserCountryCode is US/EN

Austria (AT) users

DAF Internal

Netherlands (NL) users

Platform is iOS v11.0.0 and above

United States (US) users

Posters INTL

non-US recurring donors

Fundraiser Without Meta Link

Ireland (IE) users

charityCommunityId

Charities allow to be claimed unclaimed (PRD)

countryCode

Canada (CA) users

UC Tipping v20250115 International

pymk_production_xplr_fe_team

Android at or above 12.2.0

smart goals (fundraiser/manage) on test01

start gfm intl allowed locales

United Kingdom (GB) users

Platform is iOS v11.2.0 and above

unclaimed charities

prod_ach_audience

AI Chatbot Audience

amp13 only new funds (prod) (anyword auto)

Payment Identity Beneficiary Verification - Production

 Custom users

NPO Upsell with Donation

Sweden (SE) users

ach frontend audience

Norway (NO) users

Android v11.0.0 and above

Users Receiving Payments Paused Notifications

Excluded funds - Video Sharing (amp15)

smart goals test01

Manage Coach - US English Organizers Only + new funds only

Team EGG - IP Address list

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link

Native 11.4.0 and above

UC Tipping v20250107

checkout headers audience

Users Receiving Braze KYC Validation Failed

Native 11.3.0 and above

US fundraisers and US users

Native 11.4.0 and higher

New funds eligible - Video Sharing (PROD)

route.pathname campaign

Switzerland (CH) users

GB Donation Upsell audience 

Recurring Upsell

Spain (ES) users

charityId

NPO API Keys

Excluded funds - Video Sharing

ai_title_page

anyword

openai

control

manual_entry

userEmail

template_id

userId

fundUrl

isCharityCo

email

appVersion

shouldBucketIntoExperiment

partnerId

fundIsLinkedWithMeta

isCampaignOwner

fundHasInstagramDeepLink

Fundraiser Without Instagram Deep Link (amp15)

Logged In Users

CH Donation Upsell audience

Android v10.6.0 and above

userCurrencyCode

Localized Currency

v11.5.0 and above

testAudience

pathname

Survicate

Non-charity fund

isChallengeFundraiser

challenge-fundraisers

Payment Identity Launch Verification - Production

campaignId

reg_form_smart_goals_position_xp_audience

New funds eligible - Posters v2

CAD Donation Upsell Audience

hasKnownDonors

PYMK has donors

Dr. Jenny Shields

Discover more people

Top causes

Highlights

Support The Shields Family

Activity