Can you help my sister survive breast cancer?
Donation protected
Hi Everyone. On February 9, 2023, my sister, Sarah was diagnosed with Invasive Ductal Breast Cancer. She spent about two and a half months researching to find the best doctors possible to perform a mastectomy and a separate reconstruction surgery.
Three weeks after returning from disability, Sarah stopped working to undergo both surgeries on May 12, 2023.
As a result, her employer, the State of CA, stopped paying for her health insurance because she had no paycheck from which to draw deductions. Due to this, Sarah was notified yesterday (the day she was supposed to begin her the therapeutic course of her cancer treatment) that her health insurance is cancelled, and she owes $20K in back payments, which includes premiums from 2022 when she was out on disability for her Stage 1 Kidney Disease. She can’t go on COBRA because she is still an employee and doesn’t want to quit her job. If she doesn’t pay the back payments, she will be held responsible for the full amount of her cancer treatments and surgeries as if she didn’t have insurance!
Sarah also has expenses including, but not limited to, unpaid medical bills from prior surgeries (e.g., mastectomy and hysterectomy in 2023), copays from doctors’ visits, prescription copays, transportation expenses, car and auto insurance payments, rent payments, utilities, storage, meals, hygiene, etc.
She’s gained weight after surgeries and had to buy new clothes. She also cares for her elderly, special-needs Border Collie named Lainey. Since her treatment will stretch into 2024, and she still requires three more surgeries, her total anticipated expenses (including the $20K for the insurance and past due/current bills) is $50K.
In addition to working as a Clinical Forensic Psychologist in state prison, state hospital, and county jail settings, Sarah is an avid piano player, dog lover and trainer, and a great friend and sister. She has helped our family incredibly in this last year. On top of everything, she still takes time to help her friends and/or give advice every day—even though she’s fighting her own battle against cancer. She’s currently supporting and receiving emotional support from two other friends who are also fighting breast cancer. She’s a very helpful person, and she never minds stopping what she’s doing to help out a friend. The only thing is, she rarely asks for help herself.
Sarah, our family and I would be eternally grateful for any help you can give via GoFundMe. Please join me in rallying around Sarah this year and helping her achieve her goal of reaching $50K, so she can reactivate her health insurance and continue with life-saving treatment, continue payments, continue co-pays and co-insurance, and pay for her living expenses. She is currently on medical leave through the end of the year.
Although she is expected to return to work in January 2024, her surgeries will continue throughout 2024, and she will not be able to work continuously. Please help me help her survive cancer, get back on her feet, and get back to work, so she can return to doing what she loves most—helping other people in need. Thank you for reading this post.
Sincerely, Dave Belgrad
As a result, her employer, the State of CA, stopped paying for her health insurance because she had no paycheck from which to draw deductions. Due to this, Sarah was notified yesterday (the day she was supposed to begin her the therapeutic course of her cancer treatment) that her health insurance is cancelled, and she owes $20K in back payments, which includes premiums from 2022 when she was out on disability for her Stage 1 Kidney Disease. She can’t go on COBRA because she is still an employee and doesn’t want to quit her job. If she doesn’t pay the back payments, she will be held responsible for the full amount of her cancer treatments and surgeries as if she didn’t have insurance!
Sarah also has expenses including, but not limited to, unpaid medical bills from prior surgeries (e.g., mastectomy and hysterectomy in 2023), copays from doctors’ visits, prescription copays, transportation expenses, car and auto insurance payments, rent payments, utilities, storage, meals, hygiene, etc.
She’s gained weight after surgeries and had to buy new clothes. She also cares for her elderly, special-needs Border Collie named Lainey. Since her treatment will stretch into 2024, and she still requires three more surgeries, her total anticipated expenses (including the $20K for the insurance and past due/current bills) is $50K.
In addition to working as a Clinical Forensic Psychologist in state prison, state hospital, and county jail settings, Sarah is an avid piano player, dog lover and trainer, and a great friend and sister. She has helped our family incredibly in this last year. On top of everything, she still takes time to help her friends and/or give advice every day—even though she’s fighting her own battle against cancer. She’s currently supporting and receiving emotional support from two other friends who are also fighting breast cancer. She’s a very helpful person, and she never minds stopping what she’s doing to help out a friend. The only thing is, she rarely asks for help herself.
Sarah, our family and I would be eternally grateful for any help you can give via GoFundMe. Please join me in rallying around Sarah this year and helping her achieve her goal of reaching $50K, so she can reactivate her health insurance and continue with life-saving treatment, continue payments, continue co-pays and co-insurance, and pay for her living expenses. She is currently on medical leave through the end of the year.
Although she is expected to return to work in January 2024, her surgeries will continue throughout 2024, and she will not be able to work continuously. Please help me help her survive cancer, get back on her feet, and get back to work, so she can return to doing what she loves most—helping other people in need. Thank you for reading this post.
Sincerely, Dave Belgrad
Fundraising team (2)
Sarah Belgrad
Organizer
Long Beach, CA
Dave Belgrad
Team member