Actor Granville Adams' Cancer Fight
- ‘Oz’ actor Granville Adams is battling cancer, and his former cast-mates are helping to raise financial support.
- Friends, family, and colleagues have raised close to $35,000 to help support the star, who is having trouble getting his insurance company to pay for medical costs.
- It’s best to have an advocate on your side, which can typically be your doctor, when dealing with insurance companies and what they will or will not pay for.
The 57-year-old played ‘Zahir Arif,’ an inmate on HBO’s fictional prison show, which aired from 1997-2003, and is dealing with a common issue many people with illness face with his insurance company not covering medical costs. Getting diagnosed with cancer is one of the most stressful things a person can go through in life, and finding a way to pay for medical care if your insurance isn’t picking up the tab (or if you don’t have insurance) can be even more taxing on your health situation as your prime goal should be your survival (I’ve been there). That’s why it is so heartwarming to see Adams’ TV family rallying emotional and financial support; Fontana generously donated $10,000 and actor J.K. Simmons, $5,000.
Read MoreLending Support
The GoFundMe page, titled ‘Granville Adams’ Cancer Fund reads: Dear Friends,My name is Tom Fontana, I was the Showrunner/Executive Producer of the HBO series OZ and I’ve joined forces with my good friend, Dean Winters, to launch a GoFundMe campaign.
As many of you know, our friend and brother Granville Adams has been diagnosed with cancer. In only a few months, the medical bills have skyrocketed to astronomical levels. Not only does he have to battle this ruthless disease, but now he has to fend off the hospital bills the insurance company refuses to pay. In this quarter alone, the unpaid bills have piled up to $69,550. We want to gather together and show Granville our love by clearing this quarter's bills, giving Granville concrete support in his fight against this vicious disease.
Since Granville hasn’t been able to work for the past year, all the donations from this campaign will go directly to Granville and Christina’s account to help them pay the onslaught of bills that have been piling up; medical, rent, utilities, etc.
Please share this campaign with friends and fans of Granville and help spread the word using social media.
Thanks so much,
Tom Fontana and Dean Winters
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Adams posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed with a mask over his face last month, simply saying “F**K CANCER!” in his caption.
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Former ‘Oz’ pal Kirk Acevedo pinned a tweet saying “one of my brothers my family” is fighting for his life.”
One of my brothers my family
from @hbo OZ, Granville Adam's is fighting for his life against cancer.
Not only does he have to fight this deadly disease but the insurance company is refusing to pay for treatment.PLEASE HELP MY BROTHA!#KidViciousðŸ™ðŸ¼https://t.co/NQsMDT8kgU
Kirk Acevedo🇺🇸 (@kirkacevedo) January 29, 2021
Another ‘Oz’ cast member Terry Kinney shared the GoFundMe post on Twitter and writes: A dear friend and cast member of our Oz tribe, and right now he needs some help. If you can.
Preparing for a Medical Emergency
Many people don’t want to plan for medical emergencies like a cancer diagnosis, but it benefits you to stay as educated as possible, and knowing what types of questions to ask your insurance company to make sure you are covered.
In a previous interview with SurvivorNet, Dr. Alyson Ocean, a Medical Oncologist at Weill Cornell, shared: “My best advice to try to get to work around the system of whether or not drugs can be– or tests can be covered for cancer is to make sure you have an advocate in your field working for you. And if your advocate is your doctor, great.”
Sometimes those doctors have to make a case for it, which she says she actually has to do almost every day if a refusal comes back. “The frustrating part for me is that sometimes we have to educate even the insurance companies, and, say, there’s a reason why I want to use this medicine.” So the key message here is to definitely be persistent.
Paying for Cancer: Find Someone Who Will Advocate For You
When You’re Seeking Financial Help
Dr. Nina Shah from UCSF Medical Center told SurvivorNet acknowledges that “Financial planning in the setting of cancer is the most stressful thing. The first thing you have to do is recognize your limitations.”
She suggests setting aside money that is liquid if possible, but the best way is to “speak with the social worker associated with that practice, because that person usually knows what resources are available and what you can do to access them or apply for them and where you may or may not qualify to receive them.” Dr. Shah reminds us that we have to be a “champion” for ourselves, but also says that the responsibility also primarily lands on them. “It’s on us to make sure that we are emotionally available to the patients and as available as we can be with our time.”
As I mentioned, I was in this situation and was able to apply for grants and financial assistance through my hospital, which miraculously covered the remainder of costs not covered by my insurance company to a zero balance.
How to Get Help With the Cancer Bills
Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.