When I read about James Van Der Beek’s death at age 48, I felt for his family. I wasn’t at all surprised when a GoFundMe was established to cover medical bills and help support his wife and six kids after his passing.
I was diagnosed with Stage 3b triple-negative breast cancer this past October. When I learned that five months of chemotherapy, a mastectomy, radiation, and reconstruction were going to be part of my treatment plan, one of my first thoughts was, “This is going to be expensive.”
I quickly had to put the finances out of my mind and focus on my treatment and recovery.
Cancer is expensive
Bills piling up is the sad reality for many cancer patients in the US, even those with health insurance. My family of five pays over $2,500 a month in health insurance premiums, yet we still have an annual out-of-pocket maximum of nearly $20,000. With three teenagers going to college in the next few years, finances were already tight before my diagnosis.
In addition to the medical bills, there are a lot of extra expenses that come with cancer treatment, from gas to get to weekly chemo appointments to DoorDash meals for days when I’m not feeling well enough to cook. I’m grateful that my friends set up a meal train and sent DoorDash gift cards to support my family.
At an early appointment, I learned that my chemotherapy regimen included a medication that would cause me to lose my hair unless I did cold capping, a process where you wear a frozen helmet while the medication is administered (and some extra time before and after). This process would cost around $2,000, and it was not covered by insurance. My parents offered to cover the cost, but I ultimately decided I didn’t want to deal with it.
I am a freelance writer, and I am only paid when I write a story. When my schedule was packed with doctor visits, MRIs, CT scans, PET scans, and meetings with geneticists, my motivation to work was nil, and my income took a nosedive.
Asking for help is hard
During my first month after diagnosis, I received a call from my health insurance plan to discuss the outstanding bills. I found the person on the phone to be extremely compassionate to my situation, and we were able to set up a payment plan of just $168 a month. This let me put the ever-increasing bills out of my mind at least somewhat.
My cousin sent over information about Still We Rise Against Breast Cancer, a foundation that was set up to provide grants to California breast cancer patients for ancillary services, such as therapy for me and my family, massages, and acupuncture. I received a $5,000 grant, and it’s been so helpful as I navigate this scary diagnosis.
Some may question why Van Der Beek’s family didn’t start the GoFundMe while he was still alive if finances were so tight. I can totally understand this, as asking for help is a difficult and humbling experience. My advice to other cancer patients is to check what financial support your health insurance plan and local cancer organizations offer. My insurance company was happy to accept a low monthly payment if we went on a payment plan.
Cancer shapes every part of your life — emotional, physical, and financial. Ultimately, I had to put the financial part out of my mind to focus on getting through treatment and emotionally supporting my family. When you’ve lived it, you understand that asking for help isn’t about mismanagement — it’s about making it through to the other side.
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