A Total Godsend

"You gotta do what you gotta do," says George-Ann Sweger, and if she's gotta have surgery on her birthday, then that's what she will do.

George-Ann, 55, who lives in Carlisle, was diagnosed with breast cancer in January and underwent chemotherapy at the UPMC Hillman Cancer Center until August. As a result, the larger lump in her breast shrank from the size of a racquetball to the size of a large grape. She and her doctor can no longer feel a second lump, which was the size of a grape before her chemotherapy.

 The next step is surgery on her birthday in September, followed by radiation treatments. She has set her sights on returning in October to UPS in Middletown, where she's worked for 22 years.

When she was diagnosed, a co-worker told George-Ann how Vickie's Angels had helped his family during cancer treatment. Because she lives alone, George-Ann knew she was about to take a financial hit. So she contacted Vickie's Angels, who asked what bill caused her the most concern. They stepped in and paid her mortgage for four months until her disability and unemployment pay kicked in.

George-Ann called the financial bridge Vickie's Angels provided "a total godsend." It was, she said, "one less thing to worry about."

In addition to Vickie's, George-Ann has had quite a support system. Two daughters, a son and a group of high school friends made sure she never went to her treatments alone. All that love, plus the financial assistance from Vickie's, helped remove stress so she could concentrate on her health.