Letter: When I Was Diagnosed with Cancer, RCCS Was There for Me

The following letter was printed in the ‘Letters to the Editor’ section of today’s Yated Ne’eman:

To My Fellow Neighbors,

My story is not tear-jerking or extra-sad; it’s “typical” in almost every sense of the word. I am a typical yeshiva yungerman learning in Beth Medrash Govoha, living the typical Kollel life. I have a wife and kids and joined “Jersey Care” thinking I would never need “real” insurance coverage. The typical colds, strep throats and similar ailments were all we ever used it for, anyhow.

Until that day when my doctor said these words to me: YOU HAVE CANCER.

It seemed as if it came out of nowhere and suddenly my life was not typical anymore. I was diagnosed with a non-seminoma germ cell tumor.

My life changed in an instant; I had cancer, and all the anxiety that comes along with it. And, all I had was “Jersey Care”, which couldn’t take me very far in regard to adequate medical care.

I needed to upgrade my insurance, but how? I couldn’t afford better insurance, and I had no idea even how to begin the process.

So I decided to call RCCS. That was the best call I ever made in my life. Literally.

RCCS immediately, and warmly, went into action, as if I was the only case on their minds! They swiftly got me through the application process, and put me in touch with an insurance broker who immediately got me onto a solid Oxford insurance plan which came with a hefty monthly premium. But that wasn’t my headache; RCCS paid for it! Month after month!

After I changed to Oxford I went to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center and arranged for surgery to have the tumor removed. In my case I had a vascular invasion and after they removed the tumor they wanted to do a second surgery. I went to Indianapolis for a second opinion and, then, after consulting with Rav Chaim Kanievsky shlita, I was advised to do surveillance for the next 5 years. This entails going to Memorial Hospital every month for blood work and x-rays, and every 3 months for CT scans.

Believe it or not, after about two months on the insurance I was further diagnosed with skin cancer – which was missed by my NJ doctor and was only discovered due to my having the opportunity to be seen by specialists in Memorial Sloan Kettering – and Baruch Hashem I was able to go, immediately, to top doctors to deal with this new cancer.

Let me tell you, when a person has cancer, whatever type it may be, it brings much stress and turmoil into his life. The challenges are tremendous. To continue being a good father, husband and friend is a constant battle.

Why should the lack of money stop a parent from being there for a child or a child from enjoying life with their parent?! But so often it all does boil down to money!

Could you imagine if on top of it all, I had to also deal with the stress of going into debt to pay my monthly premiums?!  It would make the strongest of patients collapse and diminish their chance of recovery, dramatically.

There are no adequate words to express my appreciation for what RCCS has done for me and my family over the past 10 months.

By RCCS taking the load of finances off our heads, it allows us patients to take advantage of good insurance, good doctors and ultimately improves our chances of a good outcome.

When you, dear supporters of RCCS, open your hearts and support RCCS, you’re not just giving Tzedakah to a חשובע organization. You’re giving life to me and to people like me, your neighbors, friends and relatives… because RCCS can’t do it without you.

So I plead with you to do whatever possible to give life, and may Hashem repay all donors a thousand fold, with a good healthy, illness-free life!

Thank you,

Your neighbor

4 Comments

    • Google

      http://www.rofehcholim.org/

      RCCS, a recognized 501(c)3 organization, provides an array of services for cancer-stricken patients in need; primary among them is the subsidizing of health insurance premiums, enabling them to obtain the best possible medical care.

      The first and foremost goal of RCCS is to ensure that every cancer patient is covered by the absolute best medical coverage that money can buy.

  • be gezunt!!!!!!!!!!!

    May Hashem send complete health in a revealed and obvious way to each and every Yid!!!!
    MOSHIACH NOW

  • Family

    As a family member of a cancer survivor, I second this letter. Sometimes, all that stands between good care and a patient is medical insurance (sad commentary on society, but that is the way it is). May RCCS be zoche to help Yidden (of any or no affiliation), until there is no more cancer in the world