In 2015, Edna received a life-altering cancer diagnosis of Multiple Myeloma during routine blood work. Initially, she thought she was just dealing with anemia, so the news came as a shock. She struggled to come to terms with the diagnosis and hesitated to share it with her family, friends, and students at first. As a dance and movement instructor with over 40 years of experience, Edna had no intention of letting her diagnosis stop her from teaching. She feared that having cancer might lead people to doubt the quality of her classes. However, one of her longtime students saw things differently. “Here’s this woman, battling a serious disease and still teaching. To me, she’s saying, ‘I’m going to live, not start dying.” By 2022, Edna’s financial situation and ability to work were significantly impacted by her cancer diagnosis. Her medical social worker helped her apply for Cancer Lifeline’s Patient Financial Assistance Fund. One of Edna’s biggest challenges was transportation, as she didn’t drive. Taking the bus to and from treatment was neither practical nor safe during the pandemic, especially with her compromised immune system at the time due to treatment. When she was awarded the grant, she knew it would go towards private transportation for her treatment appointments. This support not only eased her physical burden, helping her conserve energy for daily tasks, but also provided emotional relief, knowing transportation was one less thing to worry about. With the grant, Edna could focus on what mattered most—her recovery and getting back to living the life she loves. “The grant from Cancer Lifeline allowed me to regain my independence by covering my transportation costs— it felt like the most genuine & generous gift with no strings attached”. Interested in sharing your story with others? Learn more here.