Help Susie, Please

In February 2011, we found out I had breast cancer. A very rare form of it. That news was bad enough, but finding out that insurance wouldn't cover many of the things I chose to do to heal myself was even worse. Anxiety about money only made me get worse.

In late August, we learned that while the gentle alternatives we were using were helping some, they were not helping enough. The cancer was trying to spread. The next step was more vigorous treatments, but the down side was, the cost would go up. A lot.

By mid-September, we decided we had to take this leap of faith - that people who know us and care about us would reach out to help Susie in any way they could. The new treatment routine, which combines everything I've been doing till now with several new therapies and treatments to boost my immune system and keep me detoxed from my healing will cost $4000 per week. Yes, that's per week.

We're told that most people get some of that back from insurance, but we have to pay out of pocket to begin with, and it will take 60 days or more to get reimbursed.

The length of time for the treatment is currently unknown, but we're sure it will be at least one month (beginning October 3, 2011). Adding to the stress of the cost is that I will have to go to Phoenix, Arizona for the treatment. There is no place (yet) in Durango that does it. And there will be more visits to Arizona as we continue treating my cancer there - we just don't yet know how long it will take and how many repeats of the one month (or more) sessions will be needed to heal me.

So, we are asking you to help Susie. We need to raise the funds for two months minimum treatment, and for living expenses (which are not certain, yet), and therefore are looking to gather at least $36,000 ASAP. That should cover two months, and give us time to get reimbursed from insurance to know how much more we will be out of pocket altogether. We'll need more, likely, but until we see how I respond to the treatment, we don't know for sure.

Please, if you have any means to help us, donate to my medical benefit account. Even $5 will help. You can donate by either using the donate button below, keeping in mind that PayPal will charge me 2.9% + $.30 for each donation. Or you can go to your own bank and wire money directly into the account. We've made it secure by having the bank use an account number of theirs, rather than the account number on my medical account.

If you prefer to wire money (where I'd be able to keep it all), simply go to your bank, and give them the routing number of my bank (see below), and the bank account number, being sure to reference the Susan J. Henderson Medical Account so that the money goes into my account ultimately. Here's the info:

1st National Bank of Durango
259 W. 9th St., Durango CO 81302
Phone: 970-247-3020
Routing #: 102100552
Account #: 2075000
Reference: Susan J. Henderson Medical Account

If you prefer to use a credit card, you can donate here, via PayPal:

Please share this URL (http://www.how-to-write-a-novel.net/help-susie.html) with all your friends and family, as well. We thank you sincerely for your generosity to help Susie heal completely. Hopefully, someday soon, we'll be in a position to pay this generosity forward to someone else in need.

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