Daveen’s Story: Fostering Hope

As a schoolteacher and mother, Daveen has dedicated her life to helping children grow. After raising four children of their own, Daveen and her husband, George, realized they had room in their hearts for more. So, at the suggestion of a friend, they turned to foster care.

Before long, the couple was placed with Allison—one of Daveen’s former students—and her sister. Over the next two years, the family grew close and Daveen and George prepared to officially adopt the girls. But, when Allison was only seven years old, their life took an unexpected turn.

Devastating Diagnosis

It started when Allison began struggling with her eyesight. Assuming she simply needed her vision checked, Daveen and George made an appointment with the eye doctor.

“We didn’t know anything,” George said. “We were going to get her some glasses and the doctor said, ‘Something’s going on here.’”

That’s when they learned that Allison had brain cancer. Following chemotherapy and radiation, everything seemed okay—until a year later, when a second brain tumor appeared. With this new diagnosis, Daveen and George had a decision to make. If they moved forward with radiation, it could cost their young daughter her eyesight.

“We didn’t know what was going to happen or what the future would be,” George said.

An Important Meeting

Around the same time as the diagnosis, Daveen met with an American Fidelity account representative for her annual benefits enrollment. At that meeting, she learned that her family was already covered with the Limited Benefit Cancer Insurance she’d purchased years before.

“If we hadn’t been approached by the American Fidelity representative, we wouldn’t have known,” Daveen said. “They made sure we were using what we paid for.”

As they began another round of cancer treatment, George quit his job and moved into temporary housing with Allison. Daveen started filing claims, and the benefit payments she received helped her family in numerous ways.

“We were essentially running two households at that point,” she said. “We were able to pay the bills that were piling up.”

Providing Hope

Thankfully, Allison’s treatment was successful. Today, she’s cancer-free, and both she and her sister are permanent members of the family.

Though their journey was unexpected, Daveen and George found ways to deliver hope to other families—including a donation to the Ronald McDonald House.

“When we got money from American Fidelity, we helped another family pay for their stay,” Daveen said.

American Fidelity is proud to be part of this family’s inspirational story.

Learn more about cancer insurance

This blog is up to date as of October 2022 and has not been updated for changes in the law, administration or current events.