Help Kathy Fight Stage 4 Cancer

My name is Patricia. My sister, Katie, and I were raised by a single mom, Kathy. My mother managed to work hard all her life, doing whatever she could to meet all of our wants and needs. After working many years for the county, she accepted a job as a Billing Specialist at a local therapy practice where she’s been working for 5 and a half years. She loves her work and is loved by her co-workers. She always encouraged my sister and me to set goals and go beyond even our dreams. My sister and I both received our Master’s degrees this year as first generation college students and are working our dream jobs in our fields. My sister and I both worked two jobs to put ourselves through college and pay off our student loans. Our mom’s work ethic was passed on to us.

Sounds like the American dream. Right? Sounds like we are at a good stage. Right? Wrong. Right when we all were at such a happy place, the life-changing challenge arrived. In October of 2019 our mom was diagnosed with stage 4 esophageal cancer. She immediately received chemo-therapy and assured us, even though the cancer is not curable, she planned to live with cancer, not die of it. Throughout nearly four years of treatment, my mom has never stopped working. She literally went back to work immediately after finding out she was stage 4. She often went to work after chemo. With treatment the cancer was held at bay. My mom’s strength is remarkable. She never complained and refused to engage in negative conversations concerning her condition. Most people didn’t even know she was sick.

In April of 2023, the current chemo treatment became ineffective. Her doctor recommended she consult with either Dana Ferber (Boston) or Sloan Kettering (NYC) cancer centers for possible therapies. This would be her third line of treatment and after some medical complications from previous treatments, they wanted a second opinion. I will abbreviate the journey from April to today. The bottom line is we became entangled in insurance coverage and appointment availabilities. This week my moms PET scan showed the cancer had spread to her lungs, stomach, ovaries, liver, and the tumor on the esophagus is larger. Anyone would understand how the news creates days of worry, sadness, and tears. However, we could not stay long in our reactions because we faced a new challenge (as if cancer were not enough). The new challenge? Income and insurance.

The bottom line? My mother is 63 years old, so she cannot receive Medicare. To receive Medicaid, she has to make less than $15,000 a year. The government’s Affordable healthcare is $1,200 a month. The doctor has informed my mother that the new chemo will cause significant side effects, so her being able to work through this next stage will be a challenge. She goes to work now with a permanent tube in her back to drain fluid from her lungs caused by the cancer.

It is as if our mom has fallen through the cracks of the system: not old enough for Medicare, and disability will not cover monthly bills and insurance. My mom’s job pays for the basics. Like most Americans, she does not have discretionary funds after paying the bills. And the medical bills are piling up. Her sick and personal leave is limited and will soon run out. My mom has never asked for anything. Her silent strength and iron will has helped her persevere through many of life’s challenges. However, cancer and the state of insurance in this country has proven to be a formidable foe. I despair that my mom has to worry more about insurance and sick leave than cancer.

We need help. A GoFundMe page is our last resort. We are hoping family, friends and strangers will give what they can afford. The donations will go to paying monthly bills and medical expenses. My mom plans to try to work as long as she can. Realistically, working full-time is not going to be possible, and when she runs out of sick time (which will happen sooner rather than later) she will further struggle to pay her bills. It is not hyperbole to say we are afraid there are no answers. Please donate whatever you can, every little bit helps and we promise to pay it forward in the future.

Help us help our hero – our mom. We thank you with our full hearts.