Tonya Sue Carther and Kim Carther

I was shocked to receive an email a couple of hours ago informing me that Tonya Sue Carther succumbed from the cancer she has been fighting for the last 2 years.  Tonya Sue Carther is the creator of this site, Cancer Fairy Godmother.  The news made me so sad, and yet proud to have been a small part of her selfless quest to deliver vital information to cancer patients and survivors to help in getting free products and services.  Tonya Sue will be missed by her friends and family.

When I met Tonya Sue she was working for a client of mine in Old Tappan New Jersey and it was hard not to me impacted by her fire and enthusiasm for life.  After Tonya Sue was diagnosed with  Stage 4 Breast Cancer, she left work to go through her treatments, and we stayed in contact.  In going through this process, she began to see the issues and problems in coping with the effects of cancer treatments in her daily life, and set out to create a resource to help others in similar situations through this site Cancer Fairy Godmother.  She tirelessly hunted down information for free and low cost solutions to help cancer patients and survivors and published that information on this site.

Tonya Sue’s Obituary

Tonya Sue’s Family has created a Memorial Web page in her memory found here:  In Memory of Tonya Sue Carther

We will be keeping this site alive while we look for someone with the passion to keep this site vibrant and updated.   We can be reached at

email Cancer Fairy Godmother

Yéle Launches Haiti Earthquake Alliance

Friday, January 15, 2010 at 10:05AM

Yéle Haiti has pulled together a group of like minded organizations and first responders in order to help coordinate the delivery of emergency services and materials needed by victims of the earthquake in Haiti. Each or the organizations will undertake their own fundraising and on-the-ground operations, but have agreed to share resources, collaborate when it makes sense and avoid duplication.

The members of this new Haiti Earthquake Alliance are:
Yele Org

·         Yéle Haiti

·         AmeriCares

·         Friends of the World Food Program

·         ONExONE Foundation

·         Pan American Development Foundation

·         Airline Ambassadors

·         The Belinda Stronach Foundation

Just formed in the last day, the Alliance has already pulled together four airlifts of medical supplies, food and other emergency supplies – along with teams of doctors. These airlifts will go out beginning Saturday. Keep checking back to this website for details.

On January 12, 2010, a massive earthquake struck the nation of Haiti, causing catastrophic damage inside and around the capital city of Port-au-Prince. President Obama has promised the people of Haiti that “you will not be forsaken; you will not be forgotten.” The United States Government has mobilized resources and manpower to aid in the relief effort. Here are some ways that you can get involved.

Donate

• Contribute online through ClintonBushHaitiFund.org.
• Text “QUAKE” to 20222 to charge a  $10 donation to the Clinton Bush Haiti Fund (the donation will be added to your cell phone bill).
• Find more ways to help through the Center for International Disaster Information.

Get Information about Friends or Family

The State Department has several resources for inquiring about the welfare and whereabouts of friends and family in Haiti:

• To Ask For or Provide Information About U.S. Citizens in Haiti:
  • Email the Task Force at Haiti-Earthquake@state.gov OR
  • From the U.S. or Canada, call 888-407-4747 (Other countries, call 202-501-4444)
• For U.S. Citizens in Haiti Seeking Assistance or Reporting Their Status/Whereabouts:
  • Email the Embassy at ACSPaP@state.gov OR
  • Call the Embassy’s Consular Task Force at 509-2229-8942, 509-2229-8089, 509-2229-8322, or 509-2229-8672
• For All Nationalities and Locations:
  • Use the Person Finder embedded on the State Department’s website to find and share information about missing persons in Haiti

When contacting any of the numbers or using the emails above, please include the following information:

• The full name, date of birth and passport information (if known) of the persons in Haiti you are trying to contact.
• Their contact information in Haiti; telephone numbers, email address, hotel name or address (if known)
• Your name and contact information, and your relationship to the person in Haiti (parent, spouse, friend etc.)
• Any special or emergency circumstances.

For more information about locating friends and family members, visit the State Department’s Haiti Earthquake website.

The Federal Response

Check out the links below to find out how each federal department and agency is responding to the earthquake in Haiti.

• U.S. Agency for International Development
• The Department of State
  • U.S Embassy in Haiti
  • Anbasad Amerikèn, Pòtoprens, Ayiti
  • Ambassade des États-Unis, Haiti
• The Department of Defense
  • U.S. Army
  • U.S. Navy
  • U.S. Air Force
  • U.S. Marines
  • U.S. Coast Guard
• The Department of Homeland Security
• The Department of Health and Human Services
• The Federal Communications Commission
• The Department of Interior
• Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
  
• U.S. Office of Personnel Management

1. Benefits CheckUp. Millions of older adults are eligible for federal and state benefits but are not receiving them, including assistance to pay Part B and Part D premiums for Medicare benefits. This is unfortunate because these programs can help with housing, meals, transportation, health care, prescription drug costs, legal services and utility bills, just to name a few.

Benefits CheckUp, a website created by The National Council on the Aging, helps older adults quickly and easily find out which benefits they qualify for, and how to get them. (Many are available regardless of income.) This is a free service and is completely confidential. It does not require your name, address, phone number, Social Security number, or any other information that could be used to identify you.

Simply complete the online questionnaire. In a few minutes, you’ll have a list of programs for which you or your loved one most likely qualifies, including phone numbers and addresses. It also includes step-by-step instructions on how to apply for the benefits. To visit their website, click on Benefits CheckUp.

2. Benefits CheckUp Rx, a new addition to Benefits CheckUp. BenefitsCheckUpRx can help you find out if your elderly loved one is eligible for extra help paying for their Medicare prescription drug costs. Generally speaking, their income must be less than $15,315 if single ($20,535 if married), and their financial resources must total less than $11,990 if single ($23,970 if married). People who qualify will have low or no deductibles, low or no premiums, no coverage gap (the infamous donut hole), and pay much less for their prescriptions.

Complete the online Medicare Rx extra help application to see if your loved one might be eligible for this valuable benefit. This is a free service and is completely confidential. It does not require your loved one’s name, address, phone number, Social Security number, or any other information that could be used to identify them. At the same time, you can also find out if your loved one might be eligible for other programs that can help them with their health care and other costs. To begin, simply click on BenefitsCheckUpRx.

3. Social Security Divorced Spouse Benefit. If a retiree was married for at least 10 years, he or she would be entitled to a Social Security retirement benefit equal to the larger of:

• a benefit based on his or her own work history, OR
• a benefit as a divorced spouse (one-half of their ex’s benefit even though he or she may have already passed away).

If the benefit based on work history is larger, the divorced person will continue to receive that benefit, adjusted each year for inflation, for the rest of their life.

On the other hand, if the divorced spouse’s benefit is larger, the divorced person will begin to receive that amount as soon as it is approved by Social Security. They will also be entitled to a lump-sum payment for all of the prior months that they were eligible for spouse’s benefits but didn’t collect them. Generally speaking, the amount of the lump sum will be the difference between what Social Security actually paid based on their own work history and what they should have been paid as a divorced spouse.

4. VA Special Pension with Aid and Attendance (A&A). Offered by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (the VA), the A&A Special Pension is paid in addition to other VA pension benefits. It can help pay for care in the home, in an assisted living facility, or in a nursing home. It is not dependent upon service-related injuries.

Because the A&A Special Pension pays up to $1,554 per month, many veterans will not have to live in Medicaid or VA nursing homes. Instead, in-home care and assisted living will be affordable options. Most veterans will qualify if:

• they served at least one day on active duty during a period of war, and
• they require the regular assistance of another person to perform everyday functions and activities that people usually do without help.

For more information, including how to apply, visit our A&A Special Pension page.

5. Eldercare Locator. This free public service was developed by the U.S. Administration on Aging. It helps older people and their caregivers find state and local support services that allow them to live independently and safely in their homes and communities for as long as possible. Look for the resources you need by following the directions on their website, Eldercare Locator. Or, call their toll-free telephone number 1-800-677-1116, between 9 am and 8 pm weekdays, Eastern Time.

6. Medicare. If your loved one has become weak or has difficulty walking, both of these conditions can be at least partially overcome with proper physical therapy. If your loved one’s doctor agrees, ask the doctor for a written prescription for physical therapy. Medicare will pay for therapists to come to your home to provide the therapy IF it is provided by a Medicare-certified agency. (Important: Less than half of home health agencies are certified. Care at home can be very expensive if you have to pay for it out of your own pocket. Ask the agency if it is Medicare-certified BEFORE you hire them.) When the agency does its initial evaluation of your loved one’s needs, they’ll be able to tell you how long Medicare will pay for your loved one’s therapy.

7. Supplemental Security Income (SSI). If they qualify, SSI can supplement your loved one’s other benefits so that they receive a minimum income each month. In general, if their income (including Social Security Retirement or Disability benefits) is below $674 (2009 amount) per month for individuals, or $1,011 (2009 amount) for couples, SSI pays the amount necessary to bring their income up to the minimum amount. For more information, read Social Security’s pamphlet “Supplemental Security Income” (click on the link). You should also call Social Security’s toll-free number, 1-800-772-1213, to find out if your loved one might be eligible for SSI.

8. Medicaid. If your loved one qualifies for SSI, he or she will probably also qualify for Medicaid. If they do, they won’t have to pay Medicare’s $96.40 monthly Part B premium, and they won’t need to carry a separate Medicare Supplement insurance policy.

9. Food Stamps. And, if they qualify for SSI, they’ll also probably qualify for food stamps. That will help stretch their food dollars each month.

For more information about SSI, Medicaid and Food Stamps, go to Social Security’s main page (click on www.ssa.gov). In the middle on their home page, just below the horizontal red and blue bars is a box titled Questions about. Use the up/down arrows in the right of the box until Supplemental Security Income appears. Then click on Go. That will take you to a page with a number of different questions (and answers) about the SSI program.

10. Reverse Mortgage. This is a loan against the equity in a home. It provides tax-free cash advances to the homeowner, but requires no payments during the term of the loan. The proceeds from a reverse mortgage are available as a lump sum, fixed monthly payments for as long as your loved one lives in his or her home, a line of credit; or a combination of these options.

These proceeds can be used for anything: daily living expenses; home repairs and home improvements; medical bills and prescription drugs; pay-off of existing debts; education; travel; long-term health care; retirement and estate tax planning; and other needs your loved one may have.

For more information about reverse mortgages, click on AARP’s Guide for Consumers.

11. Life Settlement. When they were younger, many seniors purchased life insurance policies as their situations in life changed – children were born, income (and lifestyle) increased, a business was started – to name just a few. After retirement, however, their life insurance needs have probably changed. In other words, they are still paying for life insurance that is no longer needed.

Instead of canceling the insurance just to save a few premium dollars, these “surplus” policies can be used to pay for in-home care, assisted living, or nursing home care that’s needed now, preserving many of their primary assets as part of the family estate, or until it more convenient to sell.

This option is called a Life Settlement. For many people, it has become a very valuable financial tool.

A Life Settlement is simply this: A policyholder sells his or her life insurance policy to an institutional investor. Typically, these investors pay a lot more policies than their cash “surrender” values. Because most life insurance values are guaranteed and disconnected from the economy, there is no fluctuation, as is the case with real estate and stocks. And, almost every type of life insurance contract can be used for a Life Settlement.

“Life Settlements are not complicated, with transactions often completed in 30 to 60 days,” explains Chris Orestis, principal, Life Care Funding Group, a firm that specializes in insurance matters and Life Settlements.

A Life Settlement is an alternative way for seniors to tap into an existing asset to generate liquidity to cover immediate needs. The seller of the life insurance policy gets a lump sum payment. Since it is not a loan, the funds are unrestricted and require no repayment. The gains of a Life Settlement can be tax deductible if used to pay for in-home care, assisted living or skilled nursing care. (Talk to a qualified tax accountant to learn how deductibility applies to your own situation.)

For people intimidated by the thought of selling their home or liquidating other assets to secure the funds they need, a Life Settlement is a welcome alternative source of funds, according to Orestis.

“With billions of dollars worth of life insurance owned by people older than 65 today, tapping into Life Settlements as an alternative funding option for senior housing and care is gaining serious interest,” he said.

Life Care Funding Group can be reached at lifecarefunding.com

Finally, you may be entitled to one or more Income Tax deductions if you provide more than half of your loved one’s financial support …

12. you can probably claim them as a dependent on your federal income tax return;
13. you may be able to deduct some of their medical expenses; and
14. you might qualify for a tax-deduction if your mother and/or father moves into your home, and you modify your home to accommodate them. If so, at least a portion of the expenses you incur for modifying your home COULD be deductible in the year you pay them.

See a qualified tax accountant for more details.

Here’s a club everyone wants to be a member of. It’s probably human nature to wonder if you have what it takes to survive in a crisis. This thought-provoking book not only profiles dozens and dozens of people who have done just that, it also gives you a way to grade yourself on your likely survivorship, and tips on how to raise your score. You even learn which seats on an airplane are the safest (be near an exit, and forget about that window seat).

The three rules of the Survivors Club, according to author Ben Sherwood, are that everyone is a survivor, one person’s crisis can’t be compared to another’s, and people are stronger than they know. Attitude has a lot to do with it. If you see yourself as a survivor, you’ll likely be one.

You learn many of the reasons why people do not survive. One is called the Incredulity Response — people simply don’t believe what they are seeing. Two gripping stories bring this idea to life. In the first, a car-ferry sinking in the Baltic Sea, many victims didn’t move or try to get out of the sinking ship, but were rather “frozen to the spot” looking like “marble statues, pale and immoveable.” 852 passengers died. In the second story, a fire in London’s Underground train station killed 31 people, with many commuters marching “right into the disaster, almost oblivious to the crush of people — some actually in flames — who were trying to escape.”

“Brainlock” is another reason some people in crisis die. They respond to the shock of the situation by forgetting to think. “Under stress… people often display memory problems. They seem to forget what they’re supposed to do.” This isn’t good if you’re skydiving. As Sherwood puts it, “panic is the archenemy of survival.”

The final section of the book is devoted to helping you understand your own survivor potential, with quizzes to take and a website to visit.

Reading this book will make you think about how you live your life, and ways to ensure you can keep on living. It’s fascinating.

Are you looking for help with your prescription drug costs? Browse through over 1,000 prescription assistance programs designed to help those in need. Once you find a program that best suits you simply signup and manage your applications all right here www.PatientAssistance.com.

Lands’ End. Many of their mastectomy suits are modified versions of their non-mastectomy suits. Their prices are moderate and if you watch for sales, you can buy suits at an even lower cost. Lands’ End tankinis are particularly comfortable and flattering. There are usually one or more tankinis shown with print tops, which some women prefer as a way to make their bustlines less of a focal point.

The Anita line includes a large selection of attractive mastectomy swimsuits, including bikinis. Anita suits are well-made, stylish, and come in a large variety of styles and fabrics.

Amoena offers a large selection of swimsuits, both one- and two-piece. Their collection features suits designed for active swimmers as well as for less strenuous wear.

Other companies that market swimsuits include Jodee, Classique, and T.H.E.. As part of its large collection, T.H.E. features some suits with adjustable straps and others which you can wear with your own bra.

Other Sites Selling Post-Mastectomy Products Online:

Contour Solutions

Lucy’s Breast Forms

The Pink Bra

make me heal
This site has been recommended by many woman for its good selection and prices.

MetroMedicalOnline
Good prices and good service, offering Amoena, Anita, ABC, Jodee, and TruLife products, as well as miscellaneous other brands.

Park Mastectomy Supply
Bras, breast forms, and swimwear. The owner, Janet Park, will answer questions and help you select the appropriate product.

The Woman’s Personal Health Resource
Broad range of products, including breast forms, bras, swimsuits, and lymphedema needs. The owner, Barbara Zarrell, will answer your questions personally.

Families who walk into “Single Stop” centers in Harlem and East Harlem can receive FREE DIAPERS for their babies absolutely free of charge.  Once you arrive at the “Single Stops”, CUCS personnel can also provide you with an assortment of financial assistance and programs, many of which you may not even be aware that you are entitled to.  In many cases, this results in a substantial increase to a your families’ household income.

A new partnership has been formed between the UK-based University of Derby in Buxton and a local hospice, to give cancer patients free complementary therapies.

After completing specialist training, the university’s spa managers and assessors have taught students how to deliver therapies to cancer patients and carers associated with Blythe House Hospice, in Chapel en le Frith.

The treatments are offered at either the hospice or the university’s Devonshire Spa facility.

The initiative is intended to help people cope with the effects of their illness and the side-effects of their treatments.

Details: derby.ac.uk