Olfactory Neuroblastoma - Financial Assistance Programs?

osmotar said:

Hi Chris
Hi Chris, sorry that you find yourself here..but this group has a wealth of knowledge; below are 2 organizations that I found last year going thru my treatments, plus you could check with your local American Cancer Society as well as your oncology/radition docs their staff may have additional resource information.

healthwellfoundation.org and there is also a site for pre-exisiting insurance plans the info is by the state you live in pcip.gov

Hope this helps.

Linda

Hi Chris ...
Sorry you have to find yourself here...but you could not have found a better group of cyber friends to walk with you during this time.....(my opinion)

Working while undergoing treatments is next to impossible.....I have heard (though I never got around to doing it) that MANY head and neck cancers through SSI (Social Security) will automatically qualify for disability ...once on disability many more doors can open for you in the way of financial support.

You have so much on your plate right now ...so my suggestion is take a legal pad and keep very good notes of names / numbers of people you talk to and divide them into subjects like PCIP (as Linda said above), Social Security - SSI, etc., etc. ....

Also....please visit the oralcancerfoundation.org which has many links to support.

Now...as to how I got by. My wife was a stay-at-home mom for the last 15 years and over the years we have been able to live debt free...so that was a huge help....but not common I realize ....my brother-in-law (unknown to me till later because he knows how I am) set up a Cogdill Relief Fund on facebook...to my surprise that fund recieved a couple of thousand dollars. My only concern was putting food on the table and getting to my treatments which were 100 miles away ...so many friends and family donated gas cards and cash....totally humbling experience of which to this day I will never be able to thank all those who helped enough ...but it wasn't just money ...many people brought meals, gave me a ride and such....so as hard as it was for me ....many of your friends and family will want to help ...so let just let them......

So please do go to your local Social Security office and get that ball rolling, check out the www.oralcancerfoundation.com site, American Cancer Society site and check with your county ..sometimes they have a dept called "County Assistance" which helps pay the PCIP or your month insruance premiums so you don't lose your insurance ...from my understanding County Assistance has to be paid back ...but they allow you to pay monthly payments that are within your ability....

So much to do Chris ...so take good notes and get some file boxes for your caregiver to be able to take over once you start treatments ....this is your way of fighting back and throwing that first punch at cancer!!!

Keep us posted and we will follow you to the other side when you come out and look back and get the all clear from the doctors!!!

Also..if you don't mind ...I just added you to my nightly prayer list for healling, strength and wisdom as you make this journey.

Best,

Tim /

osmotar said:

Blessings
Tim...like you I never realized how blessed my life was until I had this little bump in the road called cancer come into my life. My employer allowed me and still allows me to work from home, but at a much shortened time frame, so I was able to maintain my salary and full benefits..I was fortunate that a lot of the side effects did not hit me during chemo and radiation. In fact my rads were done at 7pm in the evening , they start to radiate @ 4;30 am all the way to 10 pm to accomodate the schedules of all their patients. the biggest blessings however were family, my daughter came from MD several times, I have a 20 yr old neice , 19 last year who went to her college advisor (she didn't tell anyone prior) and explained my situation and found out she could take all of ther classes on line from my home in AZ, she lives in PA..she also quit her job and flew out here Aug , went to every chemo/rad treatment with me, she even went as far as when I finally had my head shaved, couldn't stand the hair loss, to have hers shaved the same day with me and kept it shaved until she went back to PA this past Jan. Then her mom, my youngest sister took a 12 week un-paid leave of abscence last October and joined us here in AZ..my other 2 sisters.arrived in Nov. for a week. My extended family goes all the way to an e-husband, daughters in-laws, more people than I can mention..as well as co-workers. Blessings I have found come in all forms, shapes and sizes.

Linda

LInda ...
wow...sounds like you have a wonderful extended family ....that speaks volumes as to how you treat them ....for them to respond the way they did...

Thanks for sharing your story..

Tim