When I got 'it' - I was 29, not living check to check anymore, could support my car, apartment, buy clothes, I wasn't living in the lap of luxury, but I was completely financially independent and it meant a lot.
Then I got sick. . . THANKFULLY I had the endless support of my parents, financially, emotionally, but I saw firsthand how cancer would debilitate finances if things were only a little bit different. Disability simply does not cover monthly expenses and prescriptions.
One year after I was done with my treatment - I read about Sam and TheSAMFund and the mission to raise money for young adult cancer survivors to help with their financial needs. I've been hooked ever since. This is an important cause - and as an added benefit - I've met a lot of other young adult cancer survivors as a result. Which, really helps.
Join the Network of young adult cancer survivors - (from TheSAMFund) -
"Cancer is the gift that keeps on taking.
We all know that financial struggles post-treatment are, unfortunately, nearly universal within the young adult survivor community. Savings are depleted during treatment. Health insurance premiums take up almost an entire paycheck. Medical bills pile up. Trips to the pharmacy can mean hundreds of dollars in co-pays each month. And so on… That’s why we created The SAMFund back in 2003: to remove some of these barriers and help young adults regain their footing as they move forward after treatment ends."
But that’s not the only struggle young adults face. One of the most common experiences we hear from young adult survivors -- and, to be honest, one that I experienced myself -- is the feeling that you are the only person on the planet who has gone through cancer. Having a different perspective than your peers. Feeling decades older than everyone around you. Wondering if there’s anyone around you who “gets it.”
So, The SAMFund decided to do our part to tackle this barrier as well, and make it a tiny bit easier for young adults to make in-person connections -- and realize that there is a community of others who have gone through similar experiences. Thanks to a start-up grant from The Lenny Zakim Fund several years ago, we developed a new program to help young adult cancer survivors, caregivers, friends and family members meet one another. " http://thesamfund.blogspot.com/
