comments from other women with breast or other female cancer please.

Hi Robin - EmpowHER recently developed an article with a comprehensive list of resources to support women dealing with cancer. You will find the article, Coping With Cancer's Financial Burden - How to Find Help Right Now - at this link: https://www.empowher.com/cancer/content/coping-cancers-financial-burden-how-find-help-right-now

Local health departments are not usually able to help, they deal with public health issues such as flu epidemics. Depending on your circumstances you may qualify for support from your state's version of the Medicaid program - in some states there are specific services for women with breast cancer. I suggest you contact your State Representative's office, or visit your state's government website, for more information on government programs in your area. In some states they are categorized under an office of women's services or a women's commission.

Most cancer patients, regardless of the type of insurance they have, encounter a lot of expenses and issues with insurance company approvals. I would strongly encourage you to find a local nonprofit organization for cancer patients or breast cancer patients so that you have resources you can tap into should you need them.

If you have additional questions and concerns, please let me know and also consider joining our Surviving Cancer group. https://www.empowher.com/groups/cancer-survivors

As a cancer patient I know that what you're dealing with isn't easy. We're here to help.

Take care,
Pat
EmpowHER Cancer Guide

Hi Robin,
Thanks for your question and for finding EmpowHER. You may want to check out the Groups section and join/ask Cancer Survivors, I bet those ladies will be a wealth of information: https://www.empowher.com/groups/cancer-survivors
Does your doctor's office have any resources to help you? The local health department may be a good place to check as well.
Check out EmpowHER's Breast Cancer page for information and connecting with women fighting the condition:
https://www.empowher.com/condition/breast-cancer
The American Cancer Society (www.cancer.org) and Breastcancer.org (http://www.breastcancer.org/community/links.jsp) also may be good resources.
Good luck and share what you find out. Your experience can be a welcome resource for someone else!