Ben Franklin once wisely said, “In this world, nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes.” For me, these words carry a deeper meaning. After five years of battling a rare form of cancer, I am still here—thanks to the incredible generosity of so many kind-hearted souls and the life-saving miracle drug, Keytruda. At 83 years old, I am humbled and grateful to still be living a relatively full life.
But alongside this miracle comes an unavoidable "tax"—the staggering cost of my Medicare copays. These include expenses for surgeries, CT scans, and vital medications. For instance, I recently received a hospital bill for $2,368.22, adding to an already challenging outstanding balance of $5,478.10. My wife and I live on a fixed monthly income of $4,921.00 from our Social Security benefits, which must cover everything—rent, utilities, food, and medical expenses.
Your support has been—and continues to be—my lifeline. Without it, meeting these mounting financial demands would be impossible. An example that highlights this struggle is my need for a critical blood thinner, Xarelto, due to my pacemaker. When I attempted to renew it recently, I was faced with an overwhelming cost of nearly $2,000 for a 90-day supply—far more than I had ever paid. After numerous phone calls, I managed to reduce the cost to $141, but such challenges are becoming a constant in my life.
I am reaching out, once again, to ask for your compassion and support. Your generosity and my committed medical team has been instrumental in my ability to fight this disease, and I pray that together, as a team, we can continue to overcome the hurdles ahead.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being my angels. May you and your loved ones be richly blessed.
With gratitude, Craig Brown (NCBuff)
To Donate: Click https://gofund.me/e4e140cc
But alongside this miracle comes an unavoidable "tax"—the staggering cost of my Medicare copays. These include expenses for surgeries, CT scans, and vital medications. For instance, I recently received a hospital bill for $2,368.22, adding to an already challenging outstanding balance of $5,478.10. My wife and I live on a fixed monthly income of $4,921.00 from our Social Security benefits, which must cover everything—rent, utilities, food, and medical expenses.
Your support has been—and continues to be—my lifeline. Without it, meeting these mounting financial demands would be impossible. An example that highlights this struggle is my need for a critical blood thinner, Xarelto, due to my pacemaker. When I attempted to renew it recently, I was faced with an overwhelming cost of nearly $2,000 for a 90-day supply—far more than I had ever paid. After numerous phone calls, I managed to reduce the cost to $141, but such challenges are becoming a constant in my life.
I am reaching out, once again, to ask for your compassion and support. Your generosity and my committed medical team has been instrumental in my ability to fight this disease, and I pray that together, as a team, we can continue to overcome the hurdles ahead.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you for being my angels. May you and your loved ones be richly blessed.
With gratitude, Craig Brown (NCBuff)
To Donate: Click https://gofund.me/e4e140cc
