Shelley Campbell lost her 5-month-old son Bobby following a battle with Juvenile Myelomonocytic Leukemia in 2008. Four years later, she?s still paying hospital bills.
?At five months, we maxed out our insurance at $5 million,? said Campbell.
After Bobby?s death, the insurance company and the hospital agreed to settle on a $1.5 million payment. Still, Campbell is responsible for paying a percentage of that cost.
?I don?t understand how parents that have children who go through treatment for years can pay for it,? said Campbell.
Even with insurance, a bout with cancer quickly adds up.
In Bobby?s case, his rare diagnosis and limited treatment options meant pricey hospital premiums, long-distance and lengthy hospital stays, and time spent away from home and work.
A few weeks into Bobby?s treatment, the Campbells found themselves searching for sources of additional financial aid. Finally, their social worker put them in touch with a local chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society (LLS).
?They were the only other foundation that actually helped us,? said Campbell, a Monroe resident who received reimbursement from LLS for gas, meals and mileage during Bobby?s treatment.
That?s one of the reasons why the Campbells are dedicated supporters of the LLS?s annual Light the Night Walk.
One of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society?s largest fundraisers, the Light the Night Walk is an evening event that includes a remembrance ceremony, program and walk to raise awareness of various forms of blood cancers ? leukemia, lymphoma, Hodgkin?s disease and myeloma.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that more than 100,000 cases of blood cancers are diagnosed each year in the United States, and more than 50,000 deaths are a result of these cancers. In children, leukemia is the most common and leading cause of cancer fatalities.
Through its various fundraising programs, the LLS has been able to bankroll cutting-edge research that has produced results. According to the LLS, the survival rate for many blood cancer patients in North America has doubled, tripled or even quadrupled since the 1960s.
In addition to advancing cancer research, the LLS aims to help increase the quality of life for patients and their families by providing such services as co-pay assistance, financial aid and peer-to-peer programs that provide patient support.
In Georgia, more than $1.2 million was disbursed to patients for co-pay assistance in 2011. Today, more than 280 people in Athens and surrounding counties receive patient support from LLS.
Most of this would not be possible without the support of fundraisers like the Light the Night Walk.
?In this economy, it?s hard to raise money for foundations,? said Campbell, who now collects donations to give back to the LLS from as far away as Southern California.
Since finding out about the Light the Night Walk in Athens from another cancer mother on Facebook, the Campbells have participated every year. In addition to helping raise funds, Campbell has been able to use the walk to connect with other cancer mothers who can relate to her rare experience with juvenile cancer.
?Talking about a baby who has cancer is a little bit taboo,? said Campbell, noting that participating in the walk and remembrance ceremony has been surprisingly effective in helping her family deal with their grief.
?It?s good to know that you?re not alone,? said Campbell.
Last year, 17,000 walkers helped LLS raise more than $2.1 million through Light the Night Walks across the nation. In Athens, last year?s walk raised $250,000.
Registration for this year?s walk will start at 5:30 p.m. at the Classic Center, with the walk starting at 7:30 p.m. For more information, visit www.lightthenight.org/ga.
Source: http://onlineathens.com/features/2012-09-24/childhood-cancer-fundraiser-help-families
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