7th Cancerversary

Today is my 7th Cancerversary. It was hard deciding which date to celebrate such an important milestone. Many choose the date of diagnosis, but my cancer had been growing long before that date.

To me, the most important date was the day I had my first chemo treatment and began taking back my body and its cells from cancer. In the process, I lost my hair, my breasts, and my energy. I racked up enormous medical bills.

Seven years later, my cancer has returned. Once again, I face new treatment options just like I did 7 years ago. Once again, I am very frightened about what my future will be: whether the cancer will be stopped; what the side-effects will be; whether I will still be able to dance.

I am very grateful to my outstanding medical team headed by Dr. David Riseberg at Mercy Medical Center and also to everyone who sent encouraging messages, prayers, and donations for my medical expenses. I couldn’t have survived 7 years without you.

The costs of fighting cancer are enormous – even with health insurance. It has been called the hidden side effect of cancer. In addition to things insurance doesn’t cover, deductibles and co-pays reset every January. This will give you an idea of how expensive cancer treatment is:
Since my diagnosis in June 2014:
Total Cost of Treatment: $1,887,626
Cancer Drugs Cost since diagnosis: $1,532,909 (82% of total cost)
Insurance paid since diagnosis: $1,845,731
My family & donations paid: $41,895
Insurance premiums: $36,128 (ACA subsidies covered $14,430 of the $36,128)

Just 7 years of treatment cost almost $1.9 million. It is vitally important that lawmakers do not allow lifetime caps on benefits or determine that certain treatments can be excluded because they cost too much. Life is more valuable than money. Good health is not guaranteed to anyone. Cancer does not discriminate: No one is too young; no one is too fit; no one is immune. Everyone is at risk.

Below is a list of the procedures, treatments, and diagnostic tests I received in my 7th treatment year. Because cancer treatment is so hard on the body, numerous diagnostic tests and scans are ordered regularly to make sure the patient can continue treatments.

12 blood tests
6 Xgeva injections
2 ovarian suppression injections
11 Faslodex injections
12 months PIQRAY (cost $17,000 per month)
1 round Xeloda
1 hysterectomy and oophorectomy
1 Caris molecular genomic tumor profile test
12 physician visits
1 liver biopsy
1 brain MRI
2 PET-CT scans
3 Covid tests – all negative
2 Pfizer Covid vaccines

I humbly ask for your support to help pay for my treatment. Please consider donating any amount you can; every dollar will go toward my medical expenses. Here is the link: https://youngbrave.fund/projects/maggie-kudirka/

#breastcancer #metastaticbreastcancer#cancerversary #baldballerina