Jordon was already having a really tough month. In November, 2022, her beloved cat and emotional support animal was bitten by a spider and by November 16, six-year-old Nala Rae had to be euthanized. The hole left in Jordon’s heart kept her from worrying about the aching pain she was experiencing in her left shoulder.
Then, on December 16, while doing a simple task at work, the 27-year-old Marysville resident popped her shoulder in three places. That action prompted X-rays which revealed something that wasn’t quite right. Sadly, the “something” was misdiagnosed as a rotator cuff tear. Jordon took her findings to her physical therapist who suggested that she see an oncologist. Finally, on December 30, Jordon had an MRI which confirmed that her shoulder pain was indeed cancer.
By this time, Jordon’s pain was intense and her arm had swollen to the size of a basketball. As many cancer patients experience, Jordon’s insurance was problematic, and it took time to schedule procedures and receive results. Even though she had a biopsy on January 11, the con-firmation of stage three aggressive bone cancer wasn’t revealed until January 26.
Jordon celebrated her mom’s birthday on February 2 with her first chemotherapy treatment. The chemo left her feeling seasick, nauseous and neutropenic from the massive amounts of narcotics. And while chemotherapy was ugly and painful, the treatments shrunk the tumor completely, and surgery in April confirmed that Jordon’s cancer was 99% gone. A metal bone was placed in her body to replace the bone that the cancer devoured.
While Jordon’s cancer journey sounds successful – from diagnosis, and cancer-free prognosis in five months – it has been anything but. As Jordon courageously faced her medical treatments, she was dealt another heartbreaking blow – the loss of a job that she loved and the promotion she was expecting. Without this crucial lifeline, she found herself battling not only her illness but also the overwhelming burden of medical bills without her employer’s insurance plan. The mounting cost of treatment left her unable to afford her mortgage, resulting in the loss of her home.
But there was a light in Jordon’s dark journey—Vickie’s Angel Foundation. Both Jordon and her mom were somewhat familiar with VAF, having seen the logo around Harrisburg for many years, but they did not fully understand the power of the foundation until a social worker connected them to VAF in February.
By February, Jordon was unemployed and couldn’t afford the expense of COBRA insurance coverage. Thanks to Vickie’s Angel Foundation and our generous donors, Jordon found insurance that was affordable and that would protect her from financial devastation going forward. Vickie’s Angel Foundation has covered all of Jordon’s life expenses since February, allowing her and her mom to focus solely on her recovery. That peace of mind is priceless.
The reality of cancer is that it is more than just a physical diagnosis – it is an all-encompassing physical, emotional, and financial journey that is often times impossible for one person – or one family – to navigate alone.
“Without Vickie’s Angel Foundation, we would be homeless under a bridge in Harrisburg,” said Jordon’s mom. Even with the help of VAF, Jordon and her mom are living with a family member to cut expenses.
Together, Vickie’s Angel Foundation donors have the ability to transform lives and bring hope where there is none. Your gift will allow us to continue to make a difference in Jordon’s life as well as many other cancer patients throughout the nine-county central Pennsylvania area we serve.
Help us remind those who are struggling with cancer that there is a light at the end of the tunnel with an organization like Vickie’s Angel Foundation.
Your kind donation will help bring hope to cancer patients throughout central Pennsylvania. Please follow the link below.