A Message from D.D. Bray |
|
On September 1, 1998 as I was preparing to take a shower, I did a quick
breast check only to find a lump above my left breast. I had just had a
mammogram 8 months before but still felt that there was a problem since
my Mother and several of her family had died of cancer. After a biopsy,
it was confirmed that I had breast cancer. Two weeks later I had a
mastectomy which was followed by 4 chemotherapy treatments over a 3
month period. I was free and clear of cancer for 6 ½ years until what I thought was acid reflux turned out to be cancer in the lymph nodes on either side of my lungs as well as in my liver and back. I have been on continuous chemotherapy for the last 2 ½ years with a 20 day round of radiation thrown in there. What we encountered during this period is the reason for forming this Foundation. My husband, Larry, had been laid off from his contract and Cobra was about to run out. Knowing our insurance situation, he took a job basically for insurance for me. However, after a few months, our claims started being denied. We found out from his company that for the first year of employment there was a $25,000 cap for medical claims. My chemotherapy was $23,000.00 per month with weekly labs and doctor’s consultation at $500.00. To stay eligible we had to continue making monthly insurance premiums even though they were paying nothing,. We contacted several known foundations to see if there was any assistance available. At this point we were paying everything out of pocket but were rejected because technically we did have insurance. Scott and Kathy Palmer owned Roanoke Pharmacy where we had traded for a couple of years and as time went on we became friends as well as customers. We met their daughter, Stephanie through our daughter Kim, as both of their children took sign classes together. Kim was telling Stephanie of our plight so she went home and told her parents. They were so distressed at our situation and wanted to help so during a community garage sale the whole Palmer Family had a bake sale. Between 400 brownies and all the money jars they put around the community, nearly $5,000 was raised to apply toward my medical bills. Stephanie came to me and had the idea of forming a foundation for medical assistance. Not only for people in our similar situation, but with any medical needs that cannot be paid by the patient. So with the help of some very special people in our lives, the D.D. Bray Foundation, Inc. was formed. |