Eleanor's Post Cancer Care
Donation protected
Cancer has built me up as a person and made me stronger in so many ways; but it also destroyed my credit, my savings, and had a huge impact on my financial debt.
I was diagnosed with Uterine/Endometrial Cancer at the rare age of 21. Most people diagnosed with Uterine Cancer are 40 or older and have already had children.
I was attending college and was only 2 sememsters away from graduating with honors. I didn't think I was going to graduate anymore with the time I spent living in the Emergency Room, frequent doctor's visits, bus rides and long walks to radiation treatment, and time I felt like never getting out of my bed from the lack of energy I had after each treatment.
I had been diligent as a child, thanks to my parents who influenced me to start working and saving as soon as I was legally allowed to. So at the age of 14 and a half, I picked up my first part time job at a daycare as the infant room Assistant Caretaker. From there I progressed from entry-level job titles to assistant managerial positions, where I saved (believe it or not) $42,113.60 at my top savings. This was to be used exclusively for my stereotypical 6-month European post-graduate travel experience I was going to reward myself with after graduating. That wasn't God's plan for me.
Without good medical insurance, just student healthcare, my savings disappeared in a matter of months. I was so proud of myself for having paid all my medical bills on my own and on time as my first adulting experiences in the world. I was making my parents proud even though I hadn't told them I was even diagnosed with cancer and had been going to treatments for weeks.
I didn't tell either of my parents, or any of my friends, that I had cancer and was struggling to pay my last bill so I could have my next treatment. I eventually told those closest to me about my treatments, surgeries, and diagnoses. It was a very difficult time for my family to be away from me during this time while I was away at school. Although it's not their fault, I felt like I was very alone in this and didn't know how to handle it or vent to relieve myself of the emotional trauma I was experiencing, but just didn't know how to experience it.
A year after the cancer diagnosis, my dad got on a great medical plan for the family that took in previous medical history patients, which was great for me! Now I have great insurance under my father, but only for a few more months. At age 26 in Washington, you are required to have your own medical insurance. And with how politics and medicaid/care are so unpredictable in this stage, I may be denied for my previous health conditions for future affordable medical insurance.I may be screwed in 2019 to say the least.
I am now in remission, I continue my hormone therapy with 90 consecutive shots every month to help regulate my natural hormone production, and attend quarterly onocological check ups for my health and to monitor caner recurrene.
My medical bills for last year added up to $12,731.46. Each year my annual medical fees are statistically estimated to drop by $800-2000 once being in remission. But until I hit the 5-year remission mark, I have around a 30% chance of my cancer returning and being more aggressive.
I had to drop out of my online Master's program at the University of Washington so I could use that money for my next surgery in April 2018. In school, I was studying Nutritional Sciences in hopes to be a dietician for those with chronic ailments and severe illnesses, such as cancer.
In order to pay for my Graduate schooling, I would have to sacrifice my current and future hormone therapy treatments and delay my surgery for a year or two. Obviously I can't choose education over health but it would be great to be able to pay for my necessary surgery in April to relieve my daily pain keeping me from working and going to school.
My goal is to raise $13,965 by April 2018 so I can pay for my surgery ($8,240 after insurance), as well as pay for my past due medical bills ($5,725) from being uninsured during my radiation and chemotherapy treatments. I want to be able to put money into a savings account and continue to chase my dreams to help others find health and happiness through fitness and nutrtition.
If I don't have my surgery in the next 6 months, I am risking permanent infertility and having to get a full hysterectomy from endometriosis and fibroid damage before I'm 30, and before I have the chance to get married and have children. Please help me reach my goal so I can have my surgery and have a chance at a healthier and pain free life.
I was diagnosed with Uterine/Endometrial Cancer at the rare age of 21. Most people diagnosed with Uterine Cancer are 40 or older and have already had children.
I was attending college and was only 2 sememsters away from graduating with honors. I didn't think I was going to graduate anymore with the time I spent living in the Emergency Room, frequent doctor's visits, bus rides and long walks to radiation treatment, and time I felt like never getting out of my bed from the lack of energy I had after each treatment.
I had been diligent as a child, thanks to my parents who influenced me to start working and saving as soon as I was legally allowed to. So at the age of 14 and a half, I picked up my first part time job at a daycare as the infant room Assistant Caretaker. From there I progressed from entry-level job titles to assistant managerial positions, where I saved (believe it or not) $42,113.60 at my top savings. This was to be used exclusively for my stereotypical 6-month European post-graduate travel experience I was going to reward myself with after graduating. That wasn't God's plan for me.
Without good medical insurance, just student healthcare, my savings disappeared in a matter of months. I was so proud of myself for having paid all my medical bills on my own and on time as my first adulting experiences in the world. I was making my parents proud even though I hadn't told them I was even diagnosed with cancer and had been going to treatments for weeks.
I didn't tell either of my parents, or any of my friends, that I had cancer and was struggling to pay my last bill so I could have my next treatment. I eventually told those closest to me about my treatments, surgeries, and diagnoses. It was a very difficult time for my family to be away from me during this time while I was away at school. Although it's not their fault, I felt like I was very alone in this and didn't know how to handle it or vent to relieve myself of the emotional trauma I was experiencing, but just didn't know how to experience it.
A year after the cancer diagnosis, my dad got on a great medical plan for the family that took in previous medical history patients, which was great for me! Now I have great insurance under my father, but only for a few more months. At age 26 in Washington, you are required to have your own medical insurance. And with how politics and medicaid/care are so unpredictable in this stage, I may be denied for my previous health conditions for future affordable medical insurance.I may be screwed in 2019 to say the least.
I am now in remission, I continue my hormone therapy with 90 consecutive shots every month to help regulate my natural hormone production, and attend quarterly onocological check ups for my health and to monitor caner recurrene.
My medical bills for last year added up to $12,731.46. Each year my annual medical fees are statistically estimated to drop by $800-2000 once being in remission. But until I hit the 5-year remission mark, I have around a 30% chance of my cancer returning and being more aggressive.
I had to drop out of my online Master's program at the University of Washington so I could use that money for my next surgery in April 2018. In school, I was studying Nutritional Sciences in hopes to be a dietician for those with chronic ailments and severe illnesses, such as cancer.
In order to pay for my Graduate schooling, I would have to sacrifice my current and future hormone therapy treatments and delay my surgery for a year or two. Obviously I can't choose education over health but it would be great to be able to pay for my necessary surgery in April to relieve my daily pain keeping me from working and going to school.
My goal is to raise $13,965 by April 2018 so I can pay for my surgery ($8,240 after insurance), as well as pay for my past due medical bills ($5,725) from being uninsured during my radiation and chemotherapy treatments. I want to be able to put money into a savings account and continue to chase my dreams to help others find health and happiness through fitness and nutrtition.
If I don't have my surgery in the next 6 months, I am risking permanent infertility and having to get a full hysterectomy from endometriosis and fibroid damage before I'm 30, and before I have the chance to get married and have children. Please help me reach my goal so I can have my surgery and have a chance at a healthier and pain free life.
Organizer
Eleanor Campbell
Organizer
Tacoma, WA