Bridget’s Story: One of the Best Decisions
Meet Bridget, a senior help desk analyst at the local hospital, with 25 years of experience. One of her biggest passions in life is fostering children. Bridget has been involved in the foster care system at the local Department of Social Services (DSS) for years and has adopted three of her foster children. She will tell you, though, that she considers all five of the children she has fostered as her own. She even refers to them as the Fab Five.
Taking Time for Themselves
Bridget and her husband love spending time with their children. However, after turning 50, they wanted to make 2023 more about themselves. They tried to do one thing each month that didn’t revolve around their kids, including seeing Janet Jackson in concert and a trip to Jamaica.
The year started off strong, then Bridget received news that would change their plans. She’d experienced some stomach issues she initially tried to ignore, but the symptoms weren’t going away. Her doctor advised her to have a colonoscopy, which revealed a surprising diagnosis: colon cancer.
One Less Thing
Though the news was a shock, she was relieved to know she would have help since she had Limited Benefit Cancer Insurance. “You don't think you really need it,” Bridget said. “I liked the benefits of it, but I just was like, I can’t afford for anything else to be taken out of my paycheck… But now, I say that was one of the best decisions I ever made. I never thought I was going to have to use the policy and look what happened.”
Luckily, they caught it early. She had surgery and was given six months of chemotherapy treatments. Her cancer insurance benefits helped her worry less about her bills during treatment. “That was a huge lift,” Bridget said. “Not having to worry about the bills.”
Someone to Lean On
During her experience, her family has been a huge help, she said “It’s great to have that support. Even from my little ones. I can cough one time and they’re like ‘Are you okay? What do you need?” Bridget felt her American Fidelity representative was also someone she could lean on. She said,
“When you're going through something like this, there are so many things to do and so much information to intake. So, he kind of broke it down and he said anytime you have questions, you just call me."
Bridget is only a few treatments away from ringing her bell, signaling the end of her chemotherapy. She doesn’t think she would have gotten this far without her family and her cancer policy. She said, “They were a big help. It was an up and down experience, but it really makes a difference knowing that you have that support.”
This blog is up to date as of June 2024 and has not been updated for changes in the law, administration or current events.
