Women We Have Helped – Christina

Grant Recipient: Christina

“I continue to stay positive and try not to worry about money”

Diagnosis: Stage II breast cancer (diagnosed 11/2014)

Treatment: Surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation

Grant used for: Auto insurance, travel costs, groceries, communication bills

Christina Finds Out She Has Breast Cancer at Age 39

Christina, who goes by “Tina,” is a generally positive and happy person, but it’s difficult to look on the bright side all the time, especially when the doctor says, “You have breast cancer.” At the age of 39, Tina was diagnosed with stage II breast cancer in November of 2014.

Tina Is Fired After Telling Her Boss About Her Diagnosis

Shortly after her diagnosis, Tina called her boss to ask for some time off to consult with her doctors and schedule her cancer treatment. The next day at work she was fired!

Forced to Move Back in With Her Parents…

Ever the optimist, Tina is thankful that she was able to move in with her parents in Ramona, but the drive to her treatment center in La Jolla is far, and the bills are still adding up. Her unemployment payments have run out, and despite several appeals, all her requests for disability support have been denied.

Living Off of Credit Cards…

As Tina goes through the difficult process of chemotherapy with radiation to look forward to next, she has watched her savings dwindle to nothing. Before cancer she was debt free. Today, she lives off her credit cards, the debt getting higher and higher even as she has months left of exhausting treatment.

Tina tells us that she still tries to stay positive as much as possible. She looks forward to the day when she is in remission and can go back to work and start rebuilding her life.

Tina Receives a Grant From SOPFCA

The funds provided by our generous donors have allowed us to give Christina a well-deserved grant so she can pay down some of her most nagging bills and cover her travel costs for treatment. We know that with her can-do attitude Tina will bounce back stronger than ever!