Come for the politics, stay for the snark.

Is it negotiation when the other party actually wants to shoot the hostage?

Let me eat cake. The rest of you could stand to lose some weight, frankly.

Authoritarian republicans are opposed to freedom for the rest of us.

Is it irresponsible to speculate? It is irresponsible not to.

if you can’t see it, then you are useless in the fight to stop it.

Some judge needs to shut this circus down soon.

This fight is for everything.

Let’s delete this post and never speak of this again.

We are builders in a constant struggle with destroyers. let’s win this.

Republicans are the party of chaos and catastrophe.

Today’s GOP: why go just far enough when too far is right there?

They fucked up the fucking up of the fuckup!

Imperialist aggressors must be defeated, or the whole world loses.

A sufficient plurality of insane, greedy people can tank any democratic system ever devised, apparently.

Impressively dumb. Congratulations.

The republican caucus is already covering themselves with something, and it’s not glory.

Peak wingnut was a lie.

A last alliance of elves and men. also pet photos.

Not so fun when the rabbit gets the gun, is it?

When do the post office & the dmv weigh in on the wuhan virus?

And we’re all out of bubblegum.

Hot air and ill-informed banter

The GOP is a fucking disgrace.

We cannot abandon the truth and remain a free nation.

You are here: Home / Anderson On Health Insurance / Asking for help for my niece

Asking for help for my niece

by | 133 Comments

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Good morning.  

In the almost seven years that  I’ve written at Balloon Juice, I’ve never made a direct personal ask of the community.  Today, I need to ask for help for my 9 year old niece, Claire, and her family.

Asking for help for my niece

In July,  Claire was diagnosed with leukemia.  Life abruptly changed for her and her family. Claire is doing her best to face this physically and emotionally difficult time with bravery and confidence.  Her parents, Travis and Megan, and her little sister Paige are still standing in the face of extraordinary circumstances.

Claire has completed her first round of treatment at a local hospital.  She recently transferred for continuing care at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia (CHOP) and will be there for many months.   Her family takes comfort in knowing a world-leading institution is providing Claire’s care.  However, this change complicates an already difficult situation.

Claire’s care has been and will be covered by her family’s health insurance (I’m on call to battle with her insurer as needed).  However there are tremendous costs including parking, food, gas, and lost income which are not covered by health insurance.

We are fundraising, from a variety of sources and networks, to give Claire’s family some measure of relief and  worry removal right now, during this difficult and stressful time.

I am asking for help from the Balloon Juice community to achieve one specific goal.

If you can help, I would greatly appreciate it during this scary and stressful time. There is no magic wand to wave that will make my niece better.  Some of the best doctors, nurses, technicians, dietitians, and aides in the world are caring for her and monitoring her treatment to maximize her chances. But if we can take at least one source of stress and worry off of her parents’ shoulders, that can help my niece.

Thank you!

Dave

 

UPDATE 1: Holy shit — y’all have already covered first, last and security.  Thank you.

 

UPDATE 2 ~10:05AM:  Half way there… Thank you, thank you, thank you.

UPDATE 3 ~11:30AM:  Yinz have kicked in everything except for August and September 2021 rent.  WOW!

Reader Interactions

133Comments

  2. 2.

    SWMBO

    One of my husband’s coworker’s son was diagnosed with brain cancer at age 6. He went to CHOP and they are still active in promoting research and support.

  5. 5.

    eric

    done and done. dave….i dont know what type she has, but if there is any information i can share about my daughter’s experience, let me know. i am so sorry that she has to suffer through this, and i will think positive thoughts for the entire family. eric

  6. 6.

    WaterGirl

    There is a link to this post and to the GoFundMe in the sidebar, and there is a link to the fundraiser in the hamburger menu on mobile.

  8. 8.

    Sloane Ranger

    Donated. If you don’t make the amount required put up a reminder and I’ll give more.

    Sending good vibes to your niece and your entire family.

  9. 9.

    donnah

    David, our eldest son Nick was diagnosed with leukemia when he was three years old. We were devastated and totally unprepared for a major catastrophe like that. No one ever expects their child to face such a terrible illness.

    Thanks to the care of an incredible team of doctors and scientists and amazing nurses at our local Children’s Medical Center,  Nick came through five years of a chemo protocol, and at the age of eight, he was declared cancer-free. And he’s now a handsome, healthy thirty-three year old.

    And that was thirty years ago. There have been considerable advances in care and treatment since then. Tell Claire’s family that she has better odds of beating this than ever before, and that there’s a sweet, smart man named Nick out there who sends his encouragement and best wishes.

  10. 10.

    p.a.

    Done.  Surprised gfm doesn’t do Paypal.  Are their (its?) fees high?

    Friends from cent Jersey son needed heart transplant.  Insurance covered, but the costs of NYC hospital ancillaries were $$$$$.

  16. 16.

    gene108

    @gene108:

    David, I live in the greater Philadelphia area. If your niece’s family needs help with something let me know and I will see what I can do.

  17. 17.

    David Anderson

    @gene108: Will do —

    My wife and her sister grew up in Central Jersey so Philly was the closest big city to them.  I think Megan has good ties to the city but another pair of hands/eyes will always be appreciated.

  19. 19.

    JAFD

    If I were still living near 49th and Baltimore, would  clean out ‘workroom’ and get cot.  But have moved.  So sending thots, healing energy, and in a couple of days – after I’ve ascertained Uncle Sam has made contribution to my account – some money.

    For Claire – Love, luck and lollipops !

  21. 21.

    evap

    done. This hits home for me, the daughter of a good friend was diagnosed with childhood leukemia at age 19, she recovered thanks to a stem cell transplant, but has been living with graft-host disease for many years.

  23. 23.

    Damien

    Your knowledge and care has been incredible for the BJ community, so I can only imagine how comforting and helpful you are for your family.

    I’m in for what I can now, but please let us know if it’s falling short and I should be able to do more in about a week. Sending thoughts and prayers too, but money first.

  24. 24.

    bookdragon

    Done.  Also, we live in the Philly metro area (Montgomery Co. northern suburbs), but if we can help with anything while they are here, let us know.

  26. 26.

    SiubhanDuinne

    Thank you for doing this for your niece. Donated a small amount; once I’m done with the current/upcoming round of bills, I should be able to send more, so I hope you’ll post frequent reminders. My best wishes to Claire and her family.

  27. 27.

    Jerry

    I couldn’t afford much, but I gave what I could. My girl is 10 so my empathy juices are running extra high for this girl and her family. Best wishes for everyone!

  28. 28.

    WaterGirl

    @SiubhanDuinne: I added links for this just above Recent Comments, which a lot of people look at – in the hopes that it will serve as a reminder for folks who aren’t able to give right away because of the timing of their paychecks and general finances.

  31. 31.

    Capri

    Went to UPenn and spent some time in CHOP.  Still have ties in the area so if housing falls through I’ll put out an SOS.

  32. 32.

    Bluegirlfromwyo

    Done. Thanks, WaterGirl, for putting up a link to the GoFundMe. I’ve been pretty fortunate during these times, and can’t think of a better way to pay it forward during the times I can.

    Please keep us posted on how Claire and family are doing. Much love.

  36. 36.

    A Drive-by Donor

    Delurking from soviet Canuckistan to say thanks to Dave for all the writing over the years, and to kick in a modest contribution.

    From my northern vantage, all the best to your family and especially Claire. We have friends who’ve fought childhood leukaemia with good outcomes in the last few years, so take heart that this can be beaten!

  39. 39.

    Barbara

    Once upon a time I had an infant in the NICU and the hospital waived parking fees for parents of patients.  Is that not a thing at CHOP?

  40. 40.

    NineJean

    Just a lurker, but donated. I’m working through my own cancer treatment issues, so I did what I could; good news for me is that I have very good insurance, so I’m not dipping into lunch money.

    Good luck and best of wishes to your niece and her family.

  43. 43.

    jonas

    I’m in. My daughter received treatment at CHOP a couple of years ago and they are VERY good. Your niece will be in good hands. There’s a commuter train station right next to the hospital as well, so if the family finds a place to stay in the city, it’s pretty easy to get to the campus w/o paying for parking.

  45. 45.

    drunkenhausfrau

    As a blood cancer survivor, I am so sad to see a child stricken with this.  Tell her her hair will grow back even prettier than before!

    Donated.  Let us know how she does…

  48. 48.

    Bostondreams

    Donated. My little brother had a brain tumor when he was 13, and Boston Children’s Hospital saved his life. My parents spent a year living in Boston away from the other three kids a few days a week. I know it’s so so hard, on the wallet and the emotions. Best wishes to you, your niece, and the family.

  51. 51.

    Richard Guhl

    David, while in one sense your ask is shameless, it isn’t shameful. You ask, because you care about your niece. No need to open with a backhanded apology.

    The church I served has been doing this sort of ask since 2002, when a young couple, who were members, were struggling financially because of their high medical bills incurred caring for her lupus. The results were so successful that the church decided to repeat the effort for others in the community area who might be so strapped. Long story short, in the years since, they’ve assisted 60 families, raising $950,000 on their behalf. You can read more about it at http://www.cobcares.org.

  52. 52.

    kmax

    CML patient here.  Always hate to see kids go thru this.  But treatments have advanced a lot over the years.  Hoping for the best.  Added some to the pot.

  53. 53.

    gene108

    @Barbara:

    Once upon a time I had an infant in the NICU and the hospital waived parking fees for parents of patients. Is that not a thing at CHOP?

    HUP (Hospital of the University of Pennsylvania) and other facilities/buildings in the UPenn system on their main campus do not waive parking fees.

    UPenn and CHOP are right next to each other, but they do not share parking garages. CHOP maybe different

    EDIT: Penn has waived parking fees, if the building you want to park at has their garage full, and you have to park in the main Penn parking garage. But unless there’s an overflow situation, I have always had to pay for parking at Penn.

  54. 54.

    Angela (@Toocananj)

    Another Philly person, offering any help I can while they are in our area. I live just across the South St bridge from CHOP. I’d love to drop off some homemade soup or an easy chicken dinner once they are here and settled. I also have a soft beautiful silken windhound 9 month old puppy  if the little sister needs a puppy respite. Masked of course.

    I donated and will hold them in the Light (as we Quakers say).

  55. 55.

    Aurona

    As a single retired woman not using my real name, I gave to Dick Mayhew’s niece’s fund (just a little, but it all helps). My best to the family during this stressful time.

  56. 56.

    CaseyL

    I will contribute next week – this week, medical expenses here blew a major hole in my budget.

    Best wishes to Claire for a quick and minimally disruptive recovery!

  58. 58.

    rb

    I’m sorry to hear that Claire and her family are facing this challenge. I’m hopeful that she will see her way through it.

    Thanks for reaching out to us so we can lend a hand. Happy to contribute.

  60. 60.

    SiubhanDuinne

    David, is their anything that your niece is especially interested in? I’d be glad to donate books or puzzles or games if there’s something that might distract her.

  61. 61.

    JanieM

    David — just kicked in a bit and am breaking a rule I made for myself when I stopped commenting here in the spring.

    My friend’s daughter went through 1 1/2 years of treatment for leukemia when she was a bit younger than Claire, and she is now a thriving college student. My great-niece had cancer when she was three years old (she was so tiny, they almost couldn’t do the chemo), and for years afterwards if she heard of anyone who had a cancer diagnosis she would say, “Tell them I said, ‘I beat cancer, and you can too.'” She’s now a thriving junior in high school who is probably too cool to say such things these days, but the point remains.

    Sending good thoughts to Claire and her family….and also gratitude for the work you do here.

  63. 63.

    SkyBluePink

    A privilege to donate- Blessings to the family.
    Thank you, Dave for all the info you provide here.

  64. 64.

    Miss Bianca

    Will donate as soon as I get paid this week. Won’t be as much as I’d like, I’m afraid, because I have some major (equine) medical expenses of my own to cover, but damn…we all gotta take care of each other here. David, hoping for the best for your niece. Treatment for leukemia has come a long, long way since I was her age.

  66. 66.

    SiubhanDuinne

    UPDATE 2 ~10:05AM: Half way there… Thank you, thank you, thank you.

    I never cease to be amazed and gratified at the boundless generosity of the Juicetariat.

  67. 67.

    MisterForkbeard

    I’m in. Cancer is awful. Both my parents have had it and (thankfully) recovered, and I have extended family whose child had brain cancer when she was 8.

    Keeping your niece in my thoughts, and blessings to her family.

  73. 73.

    stinger

    David, please tell your niece that Claire is my favorite girl’s name. And tell your other niece that Paige is my second favorite girl’s name. Now, if their parents would just give them both another sister and name her Brooke, I’d be all set!

    Chipped in a bit — best wishes to the whole family!

  74. 74.

    Heidi Mom

    Donated, and sending good thoughts to your niece and her family.  The granddaughter of a friend goes regularly to CHOP for treatment of inflammatory bowel disease, and my impression is that CHOP is the best there is.

  77. 77.

    West of the Rockies

    Thank you for creating this opportunity to help; it feels good to contribute, but more to the point, it feels good to deliver a boot to cancer’s butt.

  78. 78.

    MomSense

    I’m so sorry, David.  I can’t do much, but I can chip in a little bit.
    Keeping your niece and your whole family in my thoughts.

    Fuck fucking cancer.

  87. 87.

    Anya

    David, I am sending positive thoughts and waves of strengths. Best wishes to Claire and the family. I will donate this afternoon when I return home.

  88. 88.

    Seanly

    Hearing that she has to go to Phillie reminds me of my wife’s situation when she was being treated for ALL. Our local hospital could do chemo & autologous blood stem cell transplants but not the allogenic BCST. Long story short, she ended up at Vanderbilt Hosp, 2000 miles from home but staying with her parents. I used the funds from a transplant program by our insurer for travel expenses to visit her. So we didn’t have to face the huge financial issue affecting Claire. I’m an atheist but recognized that in some way I am blessed (does that make sense?).

    So we got as lucky as we could (considering getting cancer a 2nd time) and I’ll pay it forward by donating to Claire. Good luck to Claire and peace to her & her family.

  89. 89.

    geg6

    Sent in my contribution to the fuck cancer fund raiser for your lovely niece.  Sending good vibes all around to your entire family.  Sorry she is going through this.

  91. 91.

    PsiFighter37

    Chipped in some dollars – CHOP is a great hospital, and I hope your niece gets all the TLC she needs to beat this.

  92. 92.

    Darrin Ziliak (formerly glocksman)

    Kicked in $10 earlier this morning.
    God bless and good luck for you and Claire.

  94. 94.

    Damned_at_Random

    David,

    Sent along a few $$ and many good wishes to Claire and her family. I expect you will make 20K as the rest of the West Coasters get caffeinated. If you send along an address to the donors, I expect there will be a flood of cards and little gifts if that is appropriate. Cancer sucks and it sucks more if your finances are stretched.

  96. 96.

    Miss Bianca

    Oh, what the hell, I’ll donate now, I’ve got food in the pantry and my month’s bills are paid, I can squeak by for a couple days!

  97. 97.

    FlyingToaster

    I’m in (though under my meatspace name because they don’t allow nicknames, pfeh!).

    The treatment for the various AML strains is so much better now.  But it’s not simple, nor easy, and is a fucking long slog, even before factoring in our current dystopia.

    If the family needs further help on down the road, do not hesitate to ask.

  101. 101.

    wvng

    You’ve given so much of value so freely to everyone here it would be hard not to help. I hope all goes well.

  102. 102.

    West of the Cascades

    I love this place. Thank you for asking for our help – it’s sometimes so hard to do, especially how things are in the world right now. Prayers for Claire.

  107. 107.

    FlyingToaster

    @WaterGirl: I have an account at GoFundMe, so that won’t work.  Alas.  I have several things I support through them out in meatspace.  I’m not organized enough to keep multiple accounts straight.

  108. 108.

    currants

    Dave, you have helped me (and so many others) with your writing in so many very ways. I am glad to be able to return the favor in some very, very small part.

  112. 112.

    Damned_at_Random

    Just glanced at the GoFundMe page and the it is just over $18K. Who would have known such a snarky bunch would prove to be such softies.

  114. 114.

    BC in Illinois

    Donated.

    In memory of my brother and for the sake of his family.

    For whom this would be especially meaningful.

    [And now that I’ve written that, I’m going back to up the donation.]

  117. 117.

    Ida Slapter

    Done! You helped friends of mine a couple of years ago when I asked you an insurance question on their behalf. I’m happy that I can help your brother’s family out now. Love and light to everyone involved.

  118. 118.

    DB in PA

    First time poster, long time lurker.

    Dave: I was happy to make a contribution, both for the family and as a sincere thank you to you for your insightful posts. You give this ECON guy some interesting conversation topics with his adult health care actuary daughter. She now is a balloon juice lurker too! (Balloon Juice, improving the world one geek at a time)  Thanks for all your contributions and best wishes for your niece.

  119. 119.

    Wolvesvalley

    Now over $19k! Hooray for the jackals! I love it when we blow past the goal.

    Holding Claire and her family in the light.

  123. 123.

    phein61

    Chipped in a Hamilton. Wish it could be more, but it’s great to see the total climbing.

  124. 124.

    satby

    Just got home to see this, can’t chip in until tomorrow, but I’m in then! Best of luck to Claire and your entire family.

  125. 125.

    sacrablue

    I’m in. Best of everything for Claire abd her family. As a Philly native, I also have family in the area. If they can help, let me know.

  126. 126.

    banditqueen

    whatever small thing I can do–yes, it takes a village right now so here we are–keep your eyes on the prize–health and long, long years of happiness for Claire

  127. 127.

    Wakeshift

    I’m never up to date with today’s threads, because I always want to read what everyone has to say.
    As a result, I post very little but have read here for several years.

    I tearfully and happily donated to Claire and her family today, as a small part of paying forward the support we received about 8 years ago when my daughter was diagnosed and treated for ALL.

    She’s fully recovered, for which I’m incredibly grateful to Hasbro Children’s Hospital and the Tomorrow Fund.
    With good insurance, the bills still accumulate quickly, and as noted there are lots of other expenses involved in living and working through and around treatment. It’s a huge burden fo so many people, and we’re very fortunate to have fully recovered both medically and financially.
    I fervently wish for the same result here, and will watch for additional opportunities to contribute.

    Strength and love to the family

  131. 131.

    Sandia Blanca

    @David Anderson:  Thanks for responding. I do think they might want to check it out, because the service they provide sounds exactly like what they need.  We have one here in Austin and I’ve had the opportunity to volunteer there–it’s a really lovely haven for families. Best wishes for good health for young Claire.

  132. 132.

    MoCA Ace

    I saw the post at work where I can read but not post/donate and thought… I’ll help them meet the goal when I get home. I was thrilled to see you passed the goal by lunch time. Glad to pile on. All my best wishes for your niece.

    MoCA Ace

  133. 133.

    lurker dean

    just saw this and kicked in. CHOP seems to be ranked as the absolute best children’s hospital in the country year after year, so claire is in good hands. my cousin’s daughter was treated there and my cousin was very impressed.

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