Christine Capetola's Cancer Recovery

Our friend, comrade, and colleague Christine (she/they) was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in early April. After three months of seeking answers from various doctors, Christine went to the ER and refused to leave until they granted her the CT scan that other doctors along the way had dismissed her request for. While there is some relief in finally having a diagnosis (along with a good prognosis), the treatment period will be challenging and intense: three rounds of chemo, a major surgery, and three more rounds of chemo. Christine wrapped up their spring semester early and will be going on paid medical leave in the fall semester, to ensure that they can focus on resting, healing, and recovering. Already, a community of friends in LA and friends and family from the five other cities where they’ve lived have been dropping by and staying with them for support, particularly during the days immediately after chemo. (Happily, Christine had no allergic reactions to the first chemo infusion and had minimal side effects after it.)

Thankfully, Christine feels emotionally and logistically supported in this journey; now, what they still need is additional financial assistance for this upcoming six-month-long period. While it seems that all of the chemo will be covered by insurance, there are still some uncertainties regarding the coverage for the surgery. Additionally, Christine has been amounting expenses that are not typically a part of their budget (and are not covered by insurance): many new vitamins and supplements, protein supplements for trying to regain weight and muscle, copays for the many doctors appointments, gas for driving to said appointments (Christine tends to bike or take public transportation within LA), grocery delivery, and assistance cleaning her apartment, as she lives with her cat Miriam (who, while a great source of emotional support, unfortunately cannot help with chores or drive a car). More so, Christine’s federal student loans will be going back into repayment this summer, at an estimated cost of an extra $7,200/year for the next three years (until they reach Public Service Loan Forgiveness)—which will now be a challenge for them to pay as they gave up one of their summer courses so as to focus on healing.

We have set up this fundraiser to help Christine to focus on healing and not worry about the financial burden of doing so. After receiving her diagnosis, Christine expressed gratitude for their solid health insurance and network of support. But we all know just how debilitating and unpredictable medical costs in the US can be. This fund is here to help ease the anxiety that accompanies an already difficult healthcare struggle, and to make sure that Christine can get back to what matters. A deep friend, brilliant scholar, and dedicated mentor to their students, we all want Christine to be able to return to her life as soon and as easefully as possible. Thank you so very much for your support.

You can keep up with how Christine's doing with their treatment on their Caring Bridge page, particularly the Journal section: https://www.caringbridge.org/visit/christinecapetola