When Cancer Hits Home, Nobody Fights Alone

When Sarah was diagnosed with Stage 3 endometrial cancer at only 44 years old, she focused all of her energy on one goal: fighting and winning the battle against cancer. With the support of her care team at Southcoast Health Cancer Care, she went on to receive chemotherapy and radiation, facing the physical and emotional challenges of this unexpected journey.

Then another crisis emerged.

Sarah was unable to work during treatment, and her income dropped significantly while she was on medical leave. Eventually, there was a month when she had no income at all.

“I was one of those people that didn’t think that would happen to me,” Sarah said. “I hate to admit to that, but that’s exactly what happened, and I wasn’t prepared.” She soon fell behind on rent and faced the possibility of eviction – an overwhelming burden to carry while fighting cancer.

That’s when help came in the form of Andrea Prigaro, LICSW, a Clinical Social Worker at Southcoast Health Cancer Care. Andrea told Sarah about the Nicole Podkowa Patient & Caregiver Fund, which supports patients being treated at Southcoast Health Cancer Care and their families by providing assistance with utility payments, food, housing, transportation, cancer related supplies and other necessities.

“This program was an immense help to me,” said Sarah. The fund provided the assistance she needed to catch up on her rent and avoid eviction. At a time when so much of her life felt uncertain, this extra help meant something very simple and profound: she could keep a roof over her head and focus on getting well.

Sarah’s experience is a powerful reminder that cancer affects far more than a person’s health. Treatment can disrupt work, income, housing and the basic necessities that families depend on every day. The Nicole Podkowa Patient & Caregiver Fund was there when she needed it most, helping lift some of those burdens during one of the most difficult times of her life.

Today, Sarah is facing a new chapter in her cancer journey by enrolling in a clinical trial of a new treatment. She hopes to participate in this year’s Southcoast Health Cancer Care Nicole Podkowa 5k to show her support for others facing their own cancer diagnosis.

In Her Own Words: A Message from Sarah​

“Cancer completely drains you. You really don’t realize how much energy it takes just to survive until you’re right in the middle of it. Going through chemo took everything I had, physically and mentally, just to get through a single day.

You shouldn’t have to fight for your life and fight to keep a roof over your head at the same time. The fear of losing my home made it impossible to rest, but this fund stepped in exactly when I had nothing left. They didn’t just pay a bill – they stopped an eviction and gave me the space to breathe and focus on my chemo treatments, and I am so grateful for the help.

​But it’s more than just keeping a roof over someone’s head. This fund gives local patients their dignity and stability back when things are incredibly tough. Knowing your community has your back gives you the mental space you need to just focus on healing. Every single person who participates in the 5k is directly helping someone right here in our area. You are lifting a massive weight off our shoulders and showing local cancer patients that we aren’t in this alone.”

About the Fund

The Southcoast Health Cancer Care Nicole Podkowa 5k honors the memory of Nicole Podkowa, an avid runner, mother of two and wife of Southcoast Health physician John Podkowa, who lost her battle with cancer in 2016. In her memory, Dr. Podkowa and his family established the Patient & Caregiver Fund to provide practical support to Southcoast Health Cancer Care patients and their families.

Regístrese en for the Southcoast Health Cancer Care Nicole Podkowa 5K and help make sure that when cancer patients in our community are facing their hardest days, they don’t have to face them alone.