Help Danielle Afford Brain Surgery This Christmas

Hi,

My name is Danielle and I am trying to fundraise enough money to help my family and I pay for my brain surgery to remove my tumor at a specialty hospital this Christmas at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston.

The past few years have been very hard on me and my family. I had my Part-time hours as an Educator at the zoo cut because I could not work to my full extent and am not making enough to help my parents in my accruing care. My mother could not work because she had to care for me and therefore lost her job the same week she was diagnosed with heart issues. My brother wound up in a car accident with ongoing issues of his own, and my dad is working himself sick, to help financially provide for me. My dad even dipped into savings to buy me a wheelchair for Christmas, so I could keep my job and help me with insurance via the Marketplace. I have lost most friendships, had to drop out of University, and had to stop volunteering at the wildlife center hospital where I worked every Friday.

After years of diagnostics and specialists, in 2023, my mother used her inheritance to help get me finally diagnosed with a microadenoma.

Although small, this tumor (and any others they find) has slowly been poisoning my body with an overdose of chemicals for longer than any human body is supposed to sustain and it has been life-altering for me and my family. The symptoms I have experienced I won't even describe, but they have made me feel not even like a human being, and every morning I wake up crying in pain.

It is usually slow and handicaps people before they die.

It is handicapping me severely. I am getting worse. I am deteriorating beyond the most revolting and unimaginable limits. I have lost control of my body.

Despite Insurance Benefits, the hospital says surgery will cost $96,443.61

The hospital is requesting $67,510.53 upfront at Check-In and we pay the rest on a payment plan (Photo Below - Details at bottom)

This does not include additional fees and costs such as potentially my pre-op appointment ($1,462), Facility Fees, Lab fees, Anesthesia, Post-op Drug Treatment, Room and Board, Travel Costs (we live in IL), etc. As a specialty hospital in Texas, the hospital and BCBS say the hospital has a right to refuse all individual marketplace PPOs, even if they are In-Network. I was referred to Houston because of the specialty levels that reside at this specialty hospital. This surgeon in Texas is the surgeon my endocrinologist trusts to accomplish what I medically need to get this particular tumor successfully removed from my head, as he has done for many patients like me.

My family has already spent thousands of limited inheritance and savings on local specialists, out-of-state specialists, diagnostics, medication, labs, care, supplies, out-of-pocket mobility devices, driving me around as I lose my ability to drive, dental care as my teeth fall out, and lots of other help I’ve needed and costs accrued as I have gotten worse.

Between watching their son in pain, their daughter dying, losing income and vehicles, legal fees due to the accident, their own aging and health challenges, and other hefty and unexpected expenses... I cannot ask my family to pay $100,000+ more on me. They don’t even have it to sacrifice if they want to.

I cried last Halloween thinking it was my last. I hate roller coasters but rode one a couple of years back with my brother (when I was still able to) because I wanted him to have that memory for when I was gone. I paid for extra medical treatments so my 2 best friends would have me at their weddings, I wrote my family letters, I made a will, I save every video my best friend sends me of her daughters, I told the ocean goodbye when I went to LA to see a specialist. I tell my family I love them every day, and every day at work I stop and take a moment to look around and tell myself that even though I did not do all the good that I wanted to do for animals and this earth, I am thankful for what I got to do in my time I had.

In July I was given hope of life and purpose back. But as my cousin said, “The Price of Life” is one I recently learned, I cannot afford.

I don’t want to die. I have so much more for I want to do for this world.

If anyone has any additional questions, I have posted some more details below the photos. Please help me pay for this surgery and post-op fees, so I can give back to my family, help more animals like I used to, teach more children about the planet, and overall stay to do more for this world. I know I'm meant to.

Thanks so much,

Danielle Bergmann

PS. If you would like Insurance or finance info, it is below.

Why No Other Surgeon? - There are no feasible surgical options for me right now aside from Houston. Los Angeles refers to Houston because of the specialty levels. This specialty surgeon in Texas is the only surgeon who can accomplish what I medically need.

Why Over 100k? - The hospital needs $1,462 for my pre-op appointment and $96,443.51 for the operation. This does not include additional fees and costs such as added-on hospital fees, labs, anesthesia, post-op drug treatment, etc. The financial department told moreover the phone, there is no limit for an Out-of-Network, Out-Of-Pocket Maximum, so the hospital could potentially hold me accountable for an unlimited price point.

Is There a Payment Plan? - The hospital will not offer me a payment plan for the operation unless I pay an initial down-payment of $67,510.53 at check-in. If I do not have that, they will turn me away and cancel surgery.

If I pay in FULL AT CHECK-IN, they will discount the surgical cost to also, $67,510.53.

Again, this does not include additional costs such as my Pre-Op Appointment ($1,462), Lab Fees, Room and Board, Anesthesia, Facility Fees, In-Patient Days (Est. 3-7 Days), Travel costs, etc.

Who Have We Reached Out To? - Attorney General of Houston, The Attorney General of Chicago, The Department of Insurance of Texas and The Department of Insurance of Illinois, The Illinois Health Department, Human Support Services IL, Texas Medical Board, UI Health, Illinois Health and Hospital Association, Healthcare Division Department, Health and Human Services Commissions of Texas, Private Texas Attorney Referral Service, Legal Department Disability Rights of Texas (Houston, Austin, and General Office), National Organization of Rare Diseases, Insurance Broker, and the Insurance Marketplace, in addition to multiple calls and even conference calls with Blue Cross Blue Shield and MD Anderson Hospital.

Why over Christmas? - That's unfortunately just when they scheduled me.

Thank you again, so incredibly much.