Erica's Story

Just before her 35th birthday, she heard the life-altering words: “You have breast cancer.” In an instant, her world unraveled. Too sick to work, bills began piling up, and the future seemed to vanish before her eyes. 

Then she found Cancer Support Community Central Ohio and everything began to change. “Cancer Support Community made me feel like a person again,” Erica recalls. “They were just there for me."

Erica was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2020. Just two years later, she faced a second diagnosis followed by two frightening recurrence scares. The side effects from treatment caused physical pain that was often unbearable. “On the outside, I looked fine but inside, I was in agony.”

After going through treatment, the second time, the medical bills and compounding health issues made day-to-day life more challenging. Erica had a master’s degree, a full-time job, and a stable life until everything changed with her diagnosis. She found herself cashing out her retirement savings just to survive. “I was trying my hardest to hold it in because you don’t want people to think you’re weak,” she shared. “Society doesn’t do well with people who look weak.”

Erica’s journey is one of extraordinary resilience, but it came at a heartbreaking cost. She lost her job because her position was not accommodating her health challenges, such as missing work to attend frequent medical appointments. As a result, she lost her health insurance and the stability she had worked so hard to build. She navigated care through multiple hospital systems in two different cities during the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Throughout her cancer journey, Erica experienced seven surgeries, the harsh realities of medical menopause as a young adult, and a mountain of emotional and financial stress that would overwhelm anyone. “I tried to do everything right - save  for three to six months. You have higher co-pays for certain visits. That money goes quick.” Despite it all, she tried to stay strong for others, even when she was struggling inside.

Early on, she was hospitalized with a 106-degree fever, was unable to receive visitors, and felt completely alone. until, finally, after many weeks her family was able to visit. “My mom was literally coming to pick me up from Columbus and driving me home to Northeast Ohio. I stayed with my family for weeks at a time in between my cancer treatments. I had just moved to Columbus. I didn’t know anyone. My family was far away, and I was scared.” She eventually moved her care to The Ohio State University James Cancer Hospital.

Throughout her cancer journey, Erica experienced seven surgeries, the harsh realities of medical menopause as a young adult, and a mountain of emotional and financial stress that would overwhelm anyone. “I tried to do everything right - save  for three to six months. You have higher co-pays for certain visits. That money goes quick.” Despite it all, she tried to stay strong for others, even when she was struggling inside.

As appointments were missed and resources slipped out of reach, her social worker at The James recognized Erica was falling through the cracks and connected her with Cancer Support Community Central Ohio. That’s when Izzy, our Care Coordination Manager, stepped in. Izzy listened. She helped Erica apply for Medicaid, called her consistently, and became a lifeline. When Erica couldn’t afford rent, our Empower Program stepped in with financial support. Though Erica resisted at first—proud and determined to stand on her own—she eventually realized she didn’t have to do it all alone. 

Izzy also introduced her to Girlfriends Circle, a support group for Black women navigating cancer and the healthcare system. There, Erica found the sisterhood and solidarity she didn’t know she needed. “I’m not crazy or alone,” she said with relief . Through the support and relationships she built, Erica began to rebuild her life. She landed a job through a connection made by Izzy and her counselor - one that respects her needs and sees her worth. And just this year, she was accepted into a PhD program in Maternal and Child Health focusing on perinatal epidemiology at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, a dream she thought she had lost is now potentially her next chapter. Erica continues her treatment, and now she’s thriving - not just surviving. “This organization saw all of me. Not just the patient. Not just the diagnosis. They gave me a safe space to show up as my full self - without shame, without hiding.” Your support makes this possible.

Every story like Erica’s begins with someone like you - someone who believes that healing is more than medicine, and that no one should face cancer alone. “If you believe in economic equity, racial justice, disability rights - if you care about people - you need to support this organization,” Erica says. “This is more than cancer care. This is whole-person care.”