Anybody who has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma or lung cancer, or any other type of cancer, knows that medical care is extraordinarily expensive. Even families who have good health insurance find themselves overwhelmed by medical bills, and some are driven into medical debt. With that in mind, a woman with ovarian cancer started a campaign to help people pay off their medical debt. After her death earlier this month, more than $20 million in medical debt has been paid off, and more contributions are expected to come in.
Woman Requested Donations to Fundraising Campaign
Casey McIntyre was just 38 when she died of ovarian cancer, and it is unknown whether any mesothelioma patients are among those who will receive help from her fund, but treatment for the rare asbestos-related disease is extremely costly. Many mesothelioma victims lack adequate funds to pay their medical bills, which is one reason why so many pursue claims against the asbestos companies whose negligence caused their disease.
Ms. McIntyre’s fund, which has raised $220,000 since her death, buys large bundles of debt at a deep discount, allowing it to pay off approximately $100 in medical debt with each dollar it raises. It specifically finds households whose debt represents 5 percent or more of their annual income, or whose income is below four times the poverty level. Many mesothelioma victims fit that description.
Fundraising Campaign Honor’s Woman’ “Happy Life”
Like many mesothelioma patients, Casey McIntyre spent her last several months in home hospice spending time with her family and enjoying the happy life that she and her husband had built together. After her death, a post appeared on her social media accounts, announcing her passing and asking for donations to the campaign through a website called RIP Medical Debt.
Ms. McIntyre received extensive care during her illness at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, where many mesothelioma victims receive treatment. She was acutely aware that others did not have access to the good care that she was receiving, and this inspired her planned, posthumous campaign. Her husband, Andrew Gregory, remarked on how “powerful” it was to see people stepping up to pay others’ medical debt in his wife’s memory.
If you or someone you love has been diagnosed with malignant mesothelioma, the Patient Advocates at Mesothelioma.net can help. Contact us today at 1-800-692-8608 to learn more.
