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Over the 1 and a half years I have struggled so much not only physically and mentally but no one prepares you for the financial struggle. I had to go down to part time work twice as I couldn’t and still can’t handle a full work load. My husband lost 2 jobs, we went through a period with no insurance. I’ve cancelled appointments cause I could afford co pays. Car broke down had to pay for repairs. Could afford rent on 2 occasions. I had a former colleague set up a go fund me at first which she… read more

September 28 (edited)
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Answer Summary

Members rallied around a post about the overwhelming financial burden of cancer treatment, offering both emotional support and practical... Read more

Members rallied around a post about the overwhelming financial burden of cancer treatment, offering both emotional support and practical suggestions for finding relief. Several members pointed to resources like hospital charity care applications, Medicaid, missingmoney.com, local church pantries, and cancer center social workers who may know of local programs offering smaller gifts like gas cards or groceries. A helpful tip shared was to rework grant applications using specific keywords from each listing, since many are scanned by software before a person ever reads them.

A MyBCTeam Member

I hope some of the resources listed above work out for you- please talk with the cancer center's financial office AND any social worker they have. They often know of more local resources that may be available to you. Even smaller gifts, like gas cards, groceries etc. can put some breathing room in your budget, Keeping you in prayers! Hugs!

September 28
A MyBCTeam Member

Could you ask the social worker to review the grant applications with you? Perhaps she can offer some advice on wording etc. We thought our son would have no problem getting a job as a social worker- that is what his degree was actually in, he was a dual major and honor society for both, a male in a predominantly female profession- and it is an area of high need. He sent out several applications- and crickets! We ran into someone I knew while out shopping and she worked at the local DSS office, and she said to rework each application, using the phrases and buzzwords that were included in the job posting- the reason was that real people do not look at the applications. They are scanned by a program that then determines best matches, and then a real person looks at those applications. We followed her advice, (what did we have to lose?) and every application then got an interview. He had a couple offers within weeks, and made his decision! (Whew!)

Sometimes there are tricks to these things! Worth an ask! Hugs!

October 3
A MyBCTeam Member

Well please keep trying alll sources.
@A MyBCTeam Member
The hospital must accept what you can afford to pay even if it is 10.00 per month.

Please do not let them tell you otherwise.

October 3
A MyBCTeam Member

@A MyBCTeam Member
Did you show proof of income to the hospital?

If you are a certain percentage under the federal dollar guidelines you will qualify for a reduction in bills.

I don’t recall what the percentage is though.

Also check out: missingmoney.com

October 1
MyBCTeam

First, please know that what you're feeling is completely valid. The financial weight of breast cancer is real, crushing, and so often invisible to others. A MyBCTeam member once said, "I know it's hard sometimes, so many things you have to deal with" — and that couldn't be more true for your situation.

What you're Show Full Answer

First, please know that what you're feeling is completely valid. The financial weight of breast cancer is real, crushing, and so often invisible to others. A MyBCTeam member once said, "I know it's hard sometimes, so many things you have to deal with" — and that couldn't be more true for your situation.

What you're experiencing even has a name: "financial toxicity." It's a recognized burden that affects the whole person — emotionally, physically, and mentally. You are absolutely not alone in this.

Also — finishing a Master's in Social Work while going through all of THIS? That is extraordinary strength, even if it doesn't feel that way right now. 💙 There are some resources worth exploring that go beyond standard grants:

- Susan G. Komen Treatment Assistance Program — helps with costs during active treatment
- CancerCare — offers financial help and free oncology social workers (1-800-813-4673)
- Patient Advocate Foundation — helps navigate insurance, appeals, and financial gaps
- Pink Fund — provides non-medical bill assistance
- FundFinder (Patient Access Network Foundation) — alerts you to available financial assistance for medications, visits, travel, and insurance premiums
- BenefitsCheckUp — free service to find benefits programs covering healthcare, housing, and more

Since you're finishing your Social Work degree, connecting with an oncology social worker may feel natural — they specialize in finding local municipal aid and resources that aren't widely advertised. If managing all of this feels impossible while also managing your health, leaning on a trusted person — a family member, friend, or advocate — to help research and make calls on your behalf is a completely reasonable option.

You deserve support. Please don't give up. 💙

September 28

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Rochester, NY