My good friend Jeannie Christian, one amazing lady has been an inspiration and one of the people I admire most. She is practical and down to earth, sympathetic, compassionate and nurturing, generous, kind and loyal friend with a high moral sense. Her loving and caring nature extends beyond her family, as she is always willing to help out anyone who is in need.

“I’m sorry, it’s cancer” is never a sentence you want to hear. On her birthday 2010 Jeannie was diagnosed with a rare form of breast cancer. The resulting series of appointments, scans, tests, procedures, radiation, chemotherapy and surgeries don’t make life very fun. She was told to see an oncologist. He doctor advised her that the cancer had doubled in size and needed to be removed now.

She was a well known hard working member of the teamsters union Local 631. She is now unable to accept any assignments from the union in her current state of health. Her financial condition has crumbled and her medical coverage ended. Now she has lost her home to foreclosure. She was unable to find housing that would accept her without a current job. She was just days away from being thrown into the street without hope.

A young couple offered their abandoned home for her to live in temporarily but it was also on the foreclosure list. Jeannie was grateful for the generosity of these people and began to focus on her health. She lived without power, using candlelight and a BBQ grill to cook on and boil water for bathing. The situation lasted just long enough for Jennie to be approved for Medicaid and get started on her fight against the cancer.

Jeannie applied for assistance thru the Nevada State Medicaid program. Once approved she underwent a double mastectomy operation. Temporary expanders were inserted and she was sent home to recover. A short while later she returned to the hospital for the drain tubes to be removed. Without compassion or caring two burly interns held her down while they ripped the drain tubes from her body. She developed an infection within a few days. She underwent a second operation to remove one of the temporary expanders and the drain tubes reinserted. She spent another ten days in the hospital. The doctor sewed her flesh to the rubber tubes without anesthesia.

She barely was back on her feet when suddenly she was faced with having to move again. The property that she was living in was sold at auction and she had to leave. This normally self reliant emotionally balanced and calm women was given up

One of the requirements for Medicaid is that you inform them within a few days if you change your address. With all the turmoil and stress she was going through she failed to inform the Medicaid department that she had moved within the required timeframe. She missed the deadline by a few days so they terminated her from the program telling her she would have to reapply. She followed all procedures but was denied medical help this time as the cancer had been removed and it was no longer an emergency situation. They now considered it to be cosmetic surgery to have her breast restored through implants. The surgeries and cancer have left her unable to lift over 15 pounds. She is unable to go back to work doing anything she knows until her surgical procedures are completed. She is unable to pay for her reconstructive surgery,

Since her surgery to remove the cancer she has not been able to afford any follow up care. There has been no tests to confirm that she is cancer free. Now she is living with one temporary expanders in her body and it will require a couple more surgical procedures before the implants are put in place.

Jeannie has the internal strength to continue the fight against the breast cancer but she needs our help. Cancer is one brutal chapter to conquer alone. She was put through hell and never complained or asked for help in spite of the darkness she has faced over the past few years. She met all the challenges put in front of her and found a way to work through them but she cannot do it alone.

We are trying to raise money to offset/assist with these expenses. Our hope is that we alleviate that financial burden so Jeannie can concentrate on getting better.

We can all use an extra helping hand when we get sick. So today I am asking you to do one thing. Please show your support and give what you can. And spread the word.
Let's make it to the $10K finish line!