A Fund For Mr. Badger's Cancer Treatment

An awesome ABD who posts pseudonymously as Badger has only a short time left with her husband.  Mr. Badger, a 34 year old artist, is dying of liver cancer.

Badger, Mr. Badger and their 11 year old son, are also faced with mounting debts -- because of the expense of his cancer treatment, the insufficiency of her graduate student health insurance plan, and our government's scanty assistance programs.

Here's a quote from a Live Journal post she wrote last spring:

"Cost to date for surgery, CT-scans, hospital stays, doctors’ visits, and labwork: $79,000. Insurance benefit left for year: $21,000. Days left until new benefit year: 145. Response from Social Security Administration when I went down to their office with our 2004 tax returns to prove our lack of income: Priceless.

“There’s nothing I can do for you. Come back in two years.”

Prognosis of someone with stage four liver cancer: 3 months."

Now, things are difficult because of the expense of the medication Mr. Badger needs for pain.  Here's another quote posted on her blog in July after a trip to the pharmacy to pick up a new, stronger prescription for morphine:

"Pharmacist:  Oh, we didn't fill the entire prescription. Your insurance company says you have reached the limit on your prescription benefit.

Badger: Oh!

Pharmacist: You would've had to have paid for the prescription out-of-pocket, which would've been over $400, so we've only given you a few pills.

Badger: Oh."

Would you like to learn more about Badger's situation? Would you like to help her family? Would you like to contribute to a fund to help pay for his pain medication and expenses like hospice?

If so, please read this post on my web site which explains how you can help.

Also, if you decide to contribute, please make a comment here and consider linking to this post from your own blog.

Comments

[Scrivener]

Ok, I don't know if I'm the first to make a donation or not, but let me start off the comments here saying that I did and it was absolutely painless--took about thirty seconds. Thanks again, Mary, for setting up the account.

[profgrrrrl]

I gave too ... I'd hope someone would do the same for me someday if I needed it (as we should all hope, yes?). A few espressos I won't miss, and knowing they may help someone else's challenging path be a bit easier is worth it.

[Laura (geekymom)]

I gave too. A little can go a long way, if we all pitch in!

[stewgad]

Thank you so much Mary. The Badgers had been in my thoughts so often, and I wanted to be able to do more than just offer virtual support. Now, I feel like I have offered some real support as well.

[Mary McKinney aka Academic Coach]

Thank you, all.
Stewgad, Badger tells me that our virtual support has been meaningful and helpful to her as well. Don't discount the online hugs of our blogommunity.

[Pink Cupcake]

I've donated now too. Thanks so much for arranging this Mary - I've been think about Badger, Mr Badger and Badger Boy so much recently, and am really glad that the rest of us can do just a little something to help.

[Dean Dad]

Thanks for doing this. I gave too, and posted a request for others to do the same.

If there's a more scathing indictment of our health care system, I haven't seen it.

Hang in there, Badger!

[JM]

I've donated as well, and I'll do my part to spread the word later today.

[EverydaySuperGoddess]

I only just found Mrs. Badger's site today through Bitch, PhD. I can't even imagine.

It wasn't much, but I donated.

[Pilgrim/Heretic]

Me too. Approximately two million Americans declare bankruptcy every year because of medical crises... and over 75% of those had health insurance.

I've donated to help out Badger, but I wish to God there were something we could do for the rest of those two million.

[Pilgrim/Heretic]

Oops - don't want to mislead anyone - that number is closer to 1 million (based on data from 2001). Still far too many.

[Academic Coach]

Bravo, Pilgrim/Heretic. I agree. Let's agitate. But meanwhile, reading Badger's posts each day, I just didn't feel like I could "get on with my life" unlike our bicycling Bushman.

[Running2Ks]

I have not read her blog yet, but I donated. Her family has a worthy cause.

[Loopy]

Brava for setting this up so sensitively, Academic Coach. I donated; I think I found this through Profgrrl at Playing School.

[Cleis]

Done.

[ABDmom]

Coach, thank you so much for setting this up. I donated and will be blogging about this as well.

[camicao]

And will donate again next month... And will publicize this...

[ehj2]

i am sorry the health system we have seems designed to leave you alone and bereft ... when you most need to not be left alone and bereft.

i am sorry the music behind everything is so sporadic and uncertain.

i am deeply sorry.

love and peace.

/e

[lostinthemiddle]

Mary--
Thank you so much. It's been painful not knowing how to offer help--unfortunately small as it may be (on my own part, anyway)--to the Badgers. I hope that we can, together, relieve their stresses and offer some comfort. Again, thank you.

[terminaldegree]

Thanks for making us aware of Badger's situation and for coming up with this great idea. Just donated something too.

[Mel]

thanks for setting this up--

[Danigirl]

I followed the links from Dean Dad at http://suburbdad.blogspot.com/ to read this story, and I'll be donating and linking to your story. My dad had a liver transplant in 2002, and the liver they removed was cancerous.

My heart goes out to Badger and her family, and to those of you who care enough to try to help. Bravo.

[New Kid on the Hallway]

I contributed.

[Vito Prosciutto]

I contributed.

[Ivy]

Just gave to the fund; thanks for thinking of this and letting us help.

Ivy