Podcast: Empowerogrophy, Episode 509: From Here To There I am With You
In the latest episode of the Empowerography Podcast, my guest is Molly MacDonald. Molly MacDonald knows what it’s like to battle the financial burdens of breast cancer while undergoing treatment to battle the disease. Diagnosed with early stage breast cancer in April 2005, the disease was unlikely to take her life, but did take her livelihood. She was between jobs and was unable to start her new job as planned. Her family’s already tight budget was immediately overburdened with the addition of a monthly COBRA health insurance payments coupled with the loss of her income. Within months, MacDonald and her family faced the potential for catastrophic financial losses, including the loss their home. At the end of treatment when family and friends stopped delivering dinner, MacDonald was forced to use a local food bank to feed her family. When MacDonald’s quest to Get Help was met with blank stares, she became determined to Give Help to others suffering from lost income as a result of their diagnosis and treatment. In 2006 she founded The Pink Fund, which provides 90 days of non-medical financial aid to cover basic cost of living expenses, such as health insurance, housing, transportation and utilities. By providing this financial bridge, The Pink Fund helps to meet basic needs, while decreasing stress levels. These factors improve treatment adherence, improving survivorship outcomes and quality of life. In this episode we discuss breast cancer advocacy, resilience, the power of prayer, male breast cancer, misconceptions about breast cancer and being in and of service to others.