Stories of Hope: Karen’s Story
Cancer Care Services was a tremendous resource when my mom was diagnosed with cancer. She was 40 years old and had stage 2 breast cancer. Prior to her diagnosis, there was no history of cancer in our family.
When you hear the word cancer, you immediately have a ton of questions. How much time is left? Is it treatable? What are my options? What will it cost? We needed some guidance on how to navigate treatment. My knowledge was so limited about cancer and treatments and even how to comfort her through this scary time.
I was able to research online and found a Spanish support group at Cancer Care that could help answer some questions. At first, my mom refused to attend the support group because she thought it would be sad and depressing. It was actually the opposite.
My mom had a double mastectomy shortly prior to attending the first support group meeting at Cancer Care. The women and men in the meeting provided the comfort and encouragement she needed. She was able to hear testimonies from survivors and share her concerns with people who completely understood. Cancer Care offered my mom the kind of emotional support that no one else could. That’s not all Cancer Care Services did for her!
The financial burden that cancer adds to a family that is already struggling financially is stressful and almost unbearable. Cancer Care was able to help with my mom’s medical treatment expenses, such as the Cobra premiums and co-pays for doctor’s visits. Cancer Care also paid for my mom’s lymphedema sleeve after the insurance company called this a cosmetic sleeve and refused to cover the cost.
Cancer Care helped cover our medical needs and even helped my mom get a wig at a Look Good, Feel Good events that helped her esteem and confidence while going through cancer. Cancer Care was there to provide emotional support, financial support, and improve the overall well-being of our family. Cancer Care Services cared for our family during the most difficult times, which is why I love being able to give back in every way that I can.
