“What treatment options are available for stage 4 brain cancer in Oregon for a 27-year-old unemployed individual? #Oregon #braincancer #treatmentoptions #unemployed #cancerawareness
Are there support services or financial assistance programs for young adults with brain cancer in Oregon? #supportservices #braincancerawareness #financialassistance
How can I access affordable healthcare options and clinical trials in Oregon for stage 4 brain cancer? #affordablehealthcare #clinicaltrials #Oregonhealthcare
Is there a community or online platform for young adults with brain cancer in Oregon to connect with others and share experiences? #cancercommunity #youngadults #braincancerawareness.”
Sorry, no advice – but just wanted to say that you should absolutely not feel like a bum for applying for SSI. You have been dealt an incredibly difficult hand and there is no shame whatsoever in taking advantage of whatever resources are available. Might be helpful to post in a cancer support-related sub (if you are up to that – I recognize it could be difficult to read) to see if anyone has any past experience.
You need to call the social security office. Stage 4 cancer should get your case expedited for disability as a TERI case. You can be approved in as little as 2-3 weeks. They will need access to your health records, but a case worker should be able to walk you through this.
My deepest sympathies for your situation. Consider if you have family or close friends to take you in. You probably should not live alone during this trying time.
The above advice on social services is very good. You might check to see if you can get a social worker assigned to you.
My mom had a brain tumor and I made her come to Houston to MD Anderson for a second opinion. They were fabulous and I highly recommend them if you can get there for a second opinion.
So – the survival rates aren’t what you should be focusing on, since you are not the patient they are made for. First off, you have melanoma with brain mets, **not** brain cancer – so that is very good. The average melanoma patient age is in the 60s, you’re a young adult – we tolerate treatments better.
Also, survival stats are like this:
Let’s say they were published in 2021
It’s based on how people treated in 2015 were doing in 2020. If they are alive, they go towards the % that’s alive. Dead? They’re the Dead%.
You should check out the [Cancer Financial Assistance Coalition](https://www.cancerfac.org/) and [Triage Cancer](https://triagecancer.org/) for resources. Have you talked to the social worker at your hospital?
Also, since your melanoma mets to brain, you [qualify for SSI](https://www.ssa.gov/disability/professionals/bluebook/13.00-NeoplasticDiseases-Malignant-Adult.htm#13_03)
I have other resources if you want me to send them to you. A *lot* of resources.
I know it’s a long shot, but a company called immunitybio just launched a therapy (anktiva) for bladder cancer that activates killer T cells which kill cancer cells (amazing results as far as effectiveness and remission length). They are doing trials for other cancers and glioblastoma was one of them. I don’t know how you go about asking to be part of the trial or anything, I just thought I’d let you know.
You can always look into getting on state food stamps for food given your situation. There’s also tons of online charities you can apply support from. Go fund me can help if you can pass it around and gain traction, I’d help share.
Don’t be ashamed of being on SSI , I know people on it that are 💯 capable of working, they just don’t want to. You were given an extremely shitty stick and shouldn’t feel any guilt about being on it. I wish you the best and I’ll update my post with some charities you can look into.
Don’t let the 20%/5 year thing live in your head rent-free. It’s not going to help you at all. Take good care of yourself and try and let some people you trust into your life if you have them. The self-isolation will do more harm to your will to live than anything. Hang tough, stay golden.
I’m so so sorry, I don’t have a lot of good ideas: gofundmes and calling local churches, getting on food stamps for you both, taking to the social service where you are getting treated.
So sorry. Hoping you pull through this.
211 is a free information and referral service for human service related needs. You just dial it on your phone like you would for 911; you’ll get connected to the local call center. Give them your zip code, tell them what supports you need, and they can search for agencies closest to you that meet those needs. Be it food pantries, local Cancer support agencies, emergency funding grants, or advance care planning attorneys; anything human service related.
I’m very sorry. Remember that you are a strong person and you can get through this.
You gotta get on disability maybe a social worker at the hospital can help you?
Good advice here already. I was going to suggest Upwork for temporary jobs if you feel up to it and food pantries. Good luck OP
Yo, fully-abled bodied person here. Don’t be ashamed of only being able to do what you can do. Don’t be ashamed of applying for help and programs that you qualify for. These programs exist, and have requirements, for a reason. If you’re meeting all the requirements, they are *meant for you*. Can’t tell you how many programs I just barely didn’t qualify for growing up.
I highly recommend contacting your oncologist’s office to get a list of resources. The hospital that did your surgery should also have social workers that can help you get signed up for various programs.
You might ask them if there’s a place you can stay while having ongoing treatments, something like the Ronald Mcdonald House. Some of the bigger hospitals have access to short term stays that would save you money running back and forth. Also, take advantage of every Zoom appt they’ll allow.
Call OHP and ask for a case worker there. They advocate for patients and may have access to more resources as well. I have a friend whose OHP case worker has helped a ton with getting what she needs.
Finally, if you or your father are part of a community of faith, make sure that you let them know what you are going through. Many people are willing to help but don’t until they understand the need.
There’s a very high profile clinical trial for melanoma going on right now. [Moderna](https://trials.modernatx.com/study/?id=mRNA-4157-P201) and Merk, talk to your doctor about it. It’s in phase 3 trial right now actually and they are hoping it’s going to be FDA approved and on the market next year. It’s said to increase survival rates by 80%.
Just remember that SSI and SSDI are two separate things and you can qualify for both at the same time. You should be fast-tracked for quick SSDI approval with your diagnosis, if you have enough work credits. And since you’ve been diagnosed so young, you need less work credits to qualify. Log in to the Social Security website. https://secure.ssa.gov. And view your Social Security Statement. And go from there.
I’m retired from SSA. Stage 4 cancer with metastasis should be approved very quickly. In fact,there is a special flag they put in a terminal diagnosis to expediete processing.
Some hospitals/clinics have cancer “navigators”. Their job is to help you get through your illness. Please reach out to your hospital, clinic, doctors, etc to see if you have a navigator. In my experience the navigator may have more resources for you as as some resources are strictly for people with certain diagnoses. The general hospital social worker may not be aware of those specialized resources.
Sorry that happened. Go on disability and tend to your health.
You didn’t say anything about student loans, but if you have any federal loans, make sure you apply for the cancer treatment deferment [https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/CancerTreatmentDeferment-en-us.pdf](https://studentaid.gov/sites/default/files/CancerTreatmentDeferment-en-us.pdf)
Talk to your local state representative to help expedite things with SS. And hang in there!!! I’m so sorry to hear this.
Dude. I was in similar situation and I was told not to think about me asking for help as my failure. It’s not your fault, you are doing what you can to get out of this situation (survival is your current focus). There are institutions and mechanisms created specifically to help you in this. Just use them.
Good luck and fuck cancer!
(Signed: stage 4 survivor).