Jennifer, a 36-year-old working mother of two young girls, was divorced and uninsured. Her former husband recently lost his job and was unable to afford COBRA payments to continue health insurance coverage for himself and the children. Jennifer worked as a seasonal, limited-term employee monitoring water quality in field wells.
After suffering a seizure, a brain scan showed a tumor. Jennifer was immediately taken for surgery and a 2-centimeter malignant tumor (called a glioblastoma) was removed. The surgeon recommended she consult with radiation and medical oncologists for further treatment. Unable to cover the debt incurred during her hospitalization and surgery, and not wanting to build further debt, she called an advocate for help. Jennifer reported that she wasn’t sleeping at night, that she felt like a terrible parent, and was scared of loosing the small house she had inherited when her grandmother passed away.
Jennifer’s patient advocate helped her look into a community care program at the hospital that would help cover some of her medical expenses. They worked together to fill out the application and collect supporting documents. The advocate also helped Jennifer apply for the state Medicaid program for herself and her daughters. They talked about Jennifer’s anxiety and found a local support group for brain tumor survivors, as well as a group for children who have parents with cancer.
