‘Life Turns on a Dime’: Woman Donates Money from her Stimulus Check to a Food Bank – Now She’s Battling Breast Cancer and Struggling to Pay the Bills

"I've got a freezer full of food, and it just breaks my heart to see people in line [at the food bank]," Cudworth told MarketWatch. "It's America. People shouldn't be hungry."

She planned to use the rest of her stimulus check to buy groceries for a young neighbor recently laid off from his retail job and to "slip a few bills" to an elderly couple down the block. Anything left over would go to treats for the 56-year-old credit union employee’s two rescue chihuahuas.

But little did she know that financial burden was coming in the fall of 2020 when her doctor called to tell her she had invasive ductal carcinoma, the most common type of breast cancer.

Cudworth's mind immediately went to medical bills. She had decided a double mastectomy to remove both breasts completely was a  better option, although more expensive, than a lumpectomy which removes only a portion of the breast tissue.

She’s grateful for the understanding and supportive nature of her employer, but her current health insurance plan with the company only pays for 50 percent of covered expenses.

On top of the approximately $6,000 she had already paid out-of-pocket, Cudworth received a bill of $4,554.11 after her surgery and a one-night stay at the hospital. She’s created a GoFundMe to help cover her medical expenses.

"As soon as I get back to work, I'm just going to have to take on as many hours as I can," Cudworth told MarketWatch. "Maybe get another part-time job somewhere. Because I'm 56 and I can't carry that debt into eternity. If I was 20, it would be different."

But despite having to spread her finances thin, Cudworth does not regret being so generous before her diagnosis.

"I can only imagine these other people that are going through so much more," Cudworth said. "Yeah, I'm a little broke right now… but I'll get back."

Budgeting for Treatment

Bills for cancer treatment can cause a lot of unwanted stress. While there are resources that may help in some cases, Niv Persaud, managing director at Transition Planning & Guidance LLC, in Atlanta, Ga., said there are some other steps those diagnosed with cancer may want to take.

Sarah Stapleton, licensed clinical social worker at Montefiore Medical Center in New York, talks about working during cancer treatment

Some of Persaud’s tips include the following:

• Calculate deductibles and estimated out-of-pocket costs for medical treatment.
• Total the amount you have available in your emergency reserve, health savings account and flex spending account.
• Tighten your budget by reducing or eliminating non-essential expenses. Look at money spent on shopping, food delivery, entertainment, subscription services, etc.
• Review your payroll deductions and reduce or eliminate those that are optional where it makes sense. Some pre-tax deductions will have minimal impact on your take-home pay. Before making any changes, ask your HR contact to calculate the impact.

Finding Financial Resources

There are many financial resources available to cancer to patients to help pay for costs associated with treatment, transportation, drugs and other related expenses.

Dr. Nina Shah, UCSF Medical Center, talks about resources that may help some people pay for cancer treatment

Sara Goldberger, president of the Association of Oncology Social Work (AOSW), said oncology social workers can help.

"There are a wealth of organizations and opportunities to help people with the costs of cancer," Goldberger said. "Obviously, it's a very deep well of need, and there's not help for everyone in every situation, but knowing to ask is so important for patients and families."

Goldberger said self-advocacy is incredibly important when handling cancer-related finances.

"Figure out what you need and ask people for resources,” she said. “There is a lot of need, and people are stressed out and struggling. COVID clearly didn't make it any better, but there is money out there to help."

State and federal programs like Medicare, Medicaid and unemployment can be a great option for many people that don’t even realize they’re entitled to these programs. Hospital foundations also exist to raise money to financially help patients. These foundations can even connect patients to resources that provide free drugs or funds to assist with copays.

And if a social worker isn't available through your care center, Goldberger tells people to turn to the advocacy community. There are national, regional and local organizations that can help patients find the resources they need. Above all else, don’t lose hope and know that there are people out there who want to help you with the financial burdens of a cancer journey.

Learn more about SurvivorNet's rigorous medical review process.