Please Help Me to Understand
July 19, 2008
I can’t be held responsible for the clarity of this post. We have dinner guests arriving soon, I need a shower and I’ve been inhaling way too many cleaning products. The funny thing is, the guests are my best friend and her boyfriend, and my cousin and her new hubby. None of whom care about the state of my house - but I am Teh Anal.
ANYWAY, the reason I’m throwing up a post (ew) is because I’m hoping my keeping my big mouth flapping about this issue, someone, somewhere will hear me and help.
Oh it isn’t me that needs help exactly.
Lisa over at Clusterfook is battling cancer for the third time, and I’m on a letter-writing campaign to get her some Big Help. Celebrities, doctors, whoever has the money or resources to help her.
Because let me get this straight: It isn’t right that a mother worries more about leaving her family in debt, then she does about fighting cancer.
America, you need a serious smack to the head. Where are your priorities?
Another thing: Money should NEVER stand in the way of health care. Never.
Sure, it’s the way I was raised. It’s way I know, living up here in Canada. I watched Michael Moore’s Sicko with my jaw in my lap for the majority of the movie. When he visited a hospital here in London, Ontario and asked the questions he did, I was shocked. You guys have it rough down there.
I won’t pretend to completely know how it works down there - I don’t. I don’t understand terminology like HMO, co-payment, or HIPPA.
What I do know, in my heart, is that a woman, a mother is dying. For reasons I cannot fathom. Mistakes, mis-diagnosis, and mostly? Because of money, or lack of it.
Short of kidnapping Lisa, hauling her up here to Canada or down to Cuba or shipping her to France?
I don’t know what to do.
I’ve written to Michael Moore, Oprah, Ellen and Castle Connelly. I’ve written to every blogger I know.
You can too. Those links up there go directly to contact pages.
People are spreading the word via Twitter, Plurk, and blogs, and a trickle of money has started to come in, and while it’s appreciated, sadly, it isn’t enough.
Can you help? Do you know anyone in television? Do you know any doctors that would take her on? Can you spare some money?
We need this to be big. HUGE. I don’t want Lisa to worry about money, about her family not eating, or about the medical bills that will ultimately come in.
Chemo isn’t working. There are other treatments.
I want this mother to two little girls to put her energy into fighting cancer. They’ve been through so much already. Cam is 11 and Teenie is 8. Too young to lose their mother. Too young to fall prey to medical bill debt and goodness knows what.
Please. I’m begging you to think of resources that can help Lisa. Begging for money. Begging for relief of worry and begging for your support.
July 19th, 2008 at 5:22 pm
I agree and did see my post went through at her blog. Do you know if she joined any of the sites I recommended? That would be to get the kids things for the holidays and now is the time to start putting that in place and make sure the family has a thanksgiving dinner and also do you know the birthdays of the children?
A google search for charity or wishes sites will bring the sites again. I think she needs to join modest needs herself and the wish site as well. Is there some sort of card sending going on or supplies needed where we send to one location and they send everything to PA?
Will there be one site to gather and disseminate information, maybe a specific blog or yahoo type group?
Just brainstorming as I type here.
Bonnie Sayerss last blog post..Announcing the Virtual Cat
July 19th, 2008 at 5:45 pm
Karen, THANK YOU for alerting us to Lisa’s situation. I’ve made a donation, and hope other readers will do the same, even if it’s only $10… really, can’t we all do without a latte or two for one week? Just sayin’.
And you’re absolutely right, NO ONE should have to choose to forgo their health care options simply for lack of money. Especially when they have kids to feed/support.
Hugs to all the mamas out there that are suiting up and showing up, every single day.
Cheryl~
@jasperblu (twitter)
Cheryls last blog post..Cake
July 19th, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Karen,
You are so spot-on and Lisa is very lucky to have you on her side. Because, as the mother of a child with cancer, I have seen too many lose valuable time fighting to get treatment, trying to find hospitals that will take them, doctors that want payment up front for treatment because they know they may not make it long enough. It’s sickening. It’s more than awful.
I’ll definitely be donating for Lisa, because it’s true, if you can’t afford a large amount, it doesn’t matter…just give and each small donation adds up.
Trust me, we’ve been on the receiving end of that compassion, and it’s humbling and painful but it means so much to know you have people who care.
Thanks for all you’re doing.
Anissa@Hope4Peytons last blog post..Manifesting your feelings
July 20th, 2008 at 10:45 am
I’ve donated, and now I’ll heed your suggestion and write to the celebrities you’ve linked in your post.
You’re absolutely correct, this country is going to hell in a hand-basket so fast it’s making my head spin. I just found out that my retired parents will lose their health coverage effective 1/1/09. Obviously, at their age, they have pre-existing conditions. They’ll have to work just to have the medicines they need to live. It is WRONG!
Geeky Tai-Tais last blog post..Clearly I Won’t Be Invited…
July 20th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
Hi Karen, I’m delurking to offer a suggestion. Dr. Phil has a new show called the Doctors coming out next month, so it’s filming now. It couldn’t hurt to contact the show and let them know about Lisa’s situation. You can email from http://www.drphil.com and can also send letters. I’ll be sending info on her behalf, but I think you probably have a lot more details that they’d want and that would make them want to help her. It can’t hurt and might even help.
Shanias last blog post..For my peeps
July 20th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
Fabulous that you are doing this for her!
Teena in Torontos last blog post..Hancock
July 20th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Thanks again for giving us the opportunity to help….
Haley-Os last blog post..Shhhhhh!
July 20th, 2008 at 11:15 pm
Thanks again for giving us the opportunity to help….by drawing Lisa’s situation to our attention!
July 21st, 2008 at 7:19 am
Sugar,
Touched by your outreach. I’m all in, I’ll write all the letters you need, but need a little more information…
Double Agent Girls last blog post..Exploring Bloggers Paradise - OR - Whatever keeps me from attempting the laundry
July 21st, 2008 at 8:57 am
Stumbled, dugged, and making a letter list via your email from the weekend.
July 21st, 2008 at 9:52 am
[...] Of course this is going to have an impact on the economy, and the American government doesn’t seem to be putting much more than a band aid on the problem. The problem is only going to trickle into your health care system, and who loses in the end? [...]
July 21st, 2008 at 10:23 am
Shania - done!
Thank you to everyone else too. Let’s keep this going!
July 21st, 2008 at 1:49 pm
I just emailed your link to Ellen, Oprah and all as well and twittered it. I wish I could do more.
Jenny the Bloggesss last blog post..California Hemp and really important shit at the bottom of this post
July 21st, 2008 at 1:57 pm
[...] More people dying needlessly. [...]
July 21st, 2008 at 2:12 pm
We should reach out to Rosie, she lost her mom to cancer I believe. I’ll see what I can do on a contact.
Amandas last blog post..SlogHer
July 21st, 2008 at 2:14 pm
I twittered (@Amber_) the link to this post. I really hope that your cause gets noticed.
Cancer has effected me personally and it can be devastating.
You are a great person to help her out. She will need allot of support to keep her spirits up.
Good Luck.
July 21st, 2008 at 2:15 pm
While my circumstances were different - I have been in her place. Where money matters as much as not more than treatment. Where you can’t access the better treatment, the best doctors, the correct drugs because you can’t afford to.
My heart goes out to her, I’m still paying cancer debt as I try to avoid a recurrence. Insurance is a bitch. If you don’t happen to have any - it’s worse.
The only thing more terrifying than a cancer diagnosis is the financial devastation being uninsured or under-insured when diagnosed.
kateanons last blog post..ten years
July 21st, 2008 at 2:48 pm
Spreading the word. Stumbled, Digged and shooting off emails to everyone I know (and don’t know!)
Best wishes.
Athenas last blog post..Doodle Week x2
July 21st, 2008 at 3:01 pm
Right-o. Do you (does she) know about http://motherswithcancer.com/? That could be a good resource.
magpies last blog post..Tales from San Francisco: Blogher
July 21st, 2008 at 5:02 pm
It sickens me when people have to suffer because of greed of money.
Someone emailed me about this article, so I wrote an article on my blog (link below) about cancer. Greed is ugly, knowledge should be free.
Marks last blog post..Cure for Cancer? It seems this method works.
July 22nd, 2008 at 2:06 am
In the United States, public hospitals cannot refuse treatment to the ill.
The bills will pile up, and can be eradicated by a medical bankruptcy. We did this when my partner fought breast cancer. Our medical bills were over a quarter-million dollars.
I think it is wonderful to want to help the family pay for some expenses, such as transportation, food, some relief for the parents and the children, but I think you are overreaching when asking celebrities or others to make all the problems go away.
July 22nd, 2008 at 3:13 am
[...] And, now for something really important… I can’t think of anyone I know who hasn’t lost someone to cancer. I’ve lost both o… [...]
July 22nd, 2008 at 1:02 pm
I never post anonymously, but I am scared of what would happen if people knew I said this.
I have given to Lisa personally, and I feel terrible for her and her family. But to me it is horribly unfair to all the other people in this country who are dying because of cancer or because they can’t pay their medical bills. Lisa is extremely lucky to have the blogging community, and I absolutely believe she deserves the best care possible and a release from the financial burden of it all. But I can only support a letter writing campaign if it is used to bring awareness to all the people who struggle in this situation, and not just to one family. I’m sorry. It’s truly nothing against Lisa.
July 22nd, 2008 at 5:25 pm
So glad you posted this. I’ve been insanely frustrated trying to find some way to help her. But since my uppermost biz world contact is the mailman I’ve been coming up empty handed.
I’ll write to these folks tonight after dinner. Thanks again!
Lottas last blog post..Swap Meet Jewelry Packaging
July 22nd, 2008 at 6:16 pm
My wife had sarcoma and was given two years to live on the outside. She lived two years. The treatments she was given and doctor bills amounted to $250,000. Insurance paid most of that. But the treatments did nothing to keep her alive and she suffered more from the chemo than the disease. I hope Lisa fares better. If she is battling cancer for the third time, it doesn’t look good. She has my prayers.
July 22nd, 2008 at 10:57 pm
[...] have just stopped treatment. Please, please, please, if you are able - please go here, and also please go here and offer annnny help you can Thank [...]
July 23rd, 2008 at 11:11 am
[...] now it’s really hard to find time to focus and write anything. That and I’m consumed by Lisa and wanting a good outcome for her and her family. Everything else in life is a light shade of pale next to that. However, things are happening [...]
July 23rd, 2008 at 12:39 pm
Wow. I had no idea. I don’t know what to offer in the way of help except that I will repost this on my blog and write letters to those you have supplied contact info. for.
I know the pain of cancer and of losing a parent. I hope that her children will not have to endure losing her so soon.
August 2nd, 2008 at 10:04 am
[...] want to stop: Lisa’s cancer in it’s [...]
August 13th, 2008 at 1:01 am
[...] that has made me respect her beyond her talent as a writer and blogger. I have watched her advocate for Lisa @ Clusterfook, heard the compassion in her words as she tries to make you understand the [...]