Oklahoma City, OK
survivor of papillary carcinoma
"[After cancer treatment] my doctor had advised that I needed to stay home and rest and let my body recover; it had been very hard on it lately, he warned. So, I stayed home against my will for the next 4 months... I was drowning in bills. Since I was diagnosed in November I had met my deductible and out-of-pocket maximum for 2004 and then again in 2005. I was starting to wonder if it would have been easier if I had just died. I couldn't handle all of the doctor offices and collection agencies calling me. Didn't they understand, I didn't ask for cancer and I wasn't a horrible human being for not being able to pay?
The assistance from The SAMFund will enable me to move forward with my life... it would lift a huge weight off my shoulders [so that I can] actually go to sleep at night. I lay awake so many nights crying and worried about how I am ever going to recover from the financial burden of cancer, much less the mental one...
I want to help in any way I can with young people going through this. It doesn't have to be the end of your life; I feel like this could be just the beginning."
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