Grant Recipient: Maria
“Maria has been a hard working woman who just wants to take care of her children and have a roof over their heads.†– Maria’s nurse navigator at Sharp Outpatient Pavilion Cancer Institute
Diagnosis: Stage III breast cancer (diagnosed 09/2009)
Treatment: Mastectomy, lymph node removal, chemotherapy
Grant used for: Utility bills, communication bills, groceries
Maria Is a Hard-Working Mom of Six
Before her cancer diagnosis in 2009, Maria worked hard cleaning houses and taking care of her six children along with her husband. Together, their income was just enough to cover expenses. The cancer came back in 2013, this time more aggressive than ever.
Maria Loses a Breast…and Her Husband’s Affection
As a result, Maria had to undergo a partial mastectomy and lymph node removal (lymphadenectomy). Maria noticed that her husband’s attitude changed toward her after she lost her left breast. “He lost his feelings for me, because I lost my breast,†Maria told us.
Another Relapse…
In 2015, Maria’s cancer returned again, this time stage IIIC. She underwent another regiment of chemotherapy. The treatment left her with fatigue so severe that she could no longer work. She also suffered lymphedema, a painful swelling of the limbs, which is common after the removal of lymph nodes. This round of cancer also gave her one more burden to bear. After 23 years of marriage, her husband walked out on her and his family, leaving her to support her children, including a daughter with special needs.
Maria tells us, “He told me he was tired of living his life with someone he doesn’t love anymore.â€
Without her husband, Maria now had no income. The bills are mounting quickly.
Not Enough Money for Birthday Presents…
“Sometimes my kids ask me if I will do something special for them for their birthday,†Maria wrote to us in her grant request application. “[For] three years I haven’t been able to give them that.â€
Additionally, she has not been able to buy equipment and uniforms so that her children can participate in sports at their school. She tells us that her twin daughters wish they could play rugby, one son wants to play football, and her youngest son, nine years old, has begged to play baseball.
Maria is seeking child support from her husband and currently struggling to keep her family afloat even as she finishes up her treatment.
An SOPFCA Grants Makes a Big Difference in Maria’s Life
With the help of our donors, we were able to provide Maria with a grant to help cover some of her bills and relieve some of her financial distress. We hope that this 46-year-old mother recovers quickly from her treatments and that she will soon begin receiving the financial support from her husband that she and her children deserve.