My name is Helen Becks.  I was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer in June of 2008 – just six months after losing my husband.   Because this was caught early, I was a candidate for surgery so my prognosis was good.   Four months into chemotherapy, Medicaid inadvertently dropped my prescription plan which I discovered at the pharmacy window.  I could not afford to pay the cost of the necessary medicine.

Helen Becks 1937 - 2009

It took a week for Medicaid to admit their  mistake and reinstate my prescription plan.  That would be the longest week of my life.  Every breath and every heartbeat was exaggerated and accompanied with panic, fear, and finally defeat.

Within a week of restarting my medication I came down with pneumonia.  My life ends there.  Could it be that the interruption in my prescription  cost me my life?

There are so many Americans who still have a fighting chance to beat this disease as long as they have financial resources.

Read their stories.

Donate to Hugs and Kisses if you can.  If you can’t donate, then speak up and honor those of us who are no longer able to speak for ourselves.

Cancer is not a death sentence… Especially when caught early.  There are patients right in your community who could be saved with today’s technology, but they can’t afford treatment.  Your donation can literally save them.

(Told by Helen’s daughter, Jean.)