cancer care in illinois?

[CarrieLynne]

Hello - I was hoping that someone here knows how someone in Illinois can get treated for cancer with no insurance and no money...

My STB sister in law has stage 3 Metastatic Melanoma that has spread to her liver and no one will give her insurance obviously and she has only a state aid card which, apparently, not many places take. She is 27 with two young children and barely has time to do much else besides care for them, so I'm hoping someone here has some helpful info....there must be something that can be done

thanks DU <3

[frazzled]

1. Try Stroger Hospital in Chicago?

This is the Cook County hospital. I don't know if you have to be a resident of Cook County, but you might call. It's a very large facility, and it came to mind because we once gave a ride to the head of Stroger's Surgical Oncology department, who came with us to canvass in Michigan for Obama in the 2008 election.

If this doctor is any indication of the human quality of the cancer team there, your sister would be in good hands.

John H. Stroger, Jr. Hospital
1969 W. Ogden Ave.
Chicago, IL 60612
Phone: [phone]

[CarrieLynne]

2. thank you! I will pass that info on to her :)

[hedda_foil]

4. I was going to suggest the same, but since you know this surgeon, perhaps...

I was thinking perhaps you might be willing to share his name with the poster by PM, and possibly allow her to use your name and connection, however slight. It sounds like the need is very urgent, and this might help her sister to get an appointment with him.

[frazzled]

5. I wish I remembered

We had just offered space in our car to drive the 3 1/2 hours each way to Jackson, MI ... and he was one of the passengers who showed up. I wrote down his name somewhere, but I've lost it in the intervening 5 years. I remember we asked him about Ted Kennedy's condition at the time (which had recently been made public), and he told us it was grim. I was impressed that a big doctor like that (a) committed himself to working at a public hospital; and (b) that he'd take the time to pound the pavement for a full day knocking on doors in a run-down town. He was committed to canvassing every weekend he could that season.

[murielm99]

3. Try ICHIP.

It is the Illinois health care coverage for people who have pre-existing conditions, have been turned down by other companies, and are not yet eligible for Medicare. I have it:

http://www.chip.state.il.us/planfacts.html

Good luck.

[CarrieLynne]

6. thank you! I sent this to her as well :)