student needs help w/ cancer/tumor

S

Smurfette

500+ Posts
I have a student who had a tumor growing on his shoulder. It's affecting his health, and he's not recieving any treatment.

He comes from a hispanic family that is most likely illegal. They have little money and no insurance. I don't know a whole lot of details, but I do know that the parents have made attempts to get help, only to run into dead ends. I just hate that this 17 year old kid is facing cancer with no help.

Does anyone know the process to go through to get this kid some help? Anyone know a doctor who might be able to help?

Thanks
 
Smurfette,

Do you know if he has had any workup at all as of yet? He should be able to be seen through the indigent care system regardless of funding source or lack thereof. Looks like in Austin there are several locations Community Care Centers
 
There have been recent articles of illegals receiving extensive (indigent) health care being deported. You might want to check on that before he goes anywhere, but if it's malignant, he needs to get it looked at, either here or there (wherever "there" may be).

Good luck.
 
Perham do you have a link backing that up? I can't imagine a doctor's office or clinic/hospital voluntarily turning in an undocumented patient, and I would think a subpoena requiring it would be front-page news. Normally I wouldn't care about such a post, but spreading those kinds of rumors can lead to sick people not seeking help.
 
sawbonz... Thank you for speaking up here. You are a godsend to this post.

I had a little girl in my house die of Osteosarcoma about ten years ago. It tore my family apart. The expenses ran well over a million bucks, and the insurance company threatened to stop paying, as One million was their limit.

They relented, and paid almost two million total (Children's Hospital in Dallas). The doctors never gave up. Unfortunately, she could not be cured, and died at the age of 14.

To anyone spreading ANY negative comments here. Please refrain. This family is looking for help. You cannot understand the desperation they face, especially with the uncertainty they are facing right now.

Bless you all.
 
I have been working at two children's hospitals in the past two years, with a great deal of my time spent in child oncology centers. MANY of the patients and families i have seen at Children's Medical Center of Dallas are illegal, no insurance, etc. He needs to go to an oncology clinic at a major children's hospital - if you are in Austin, Dell Children's should be great. Social work can do some amazing things. He will get help if they take that step and get him to a hospital. Try to get him there before he turns 18!
 
I snooped around and got some more information on this kiddo. Apparently, he HAS seen a doctor, and was told that the tumor shouldn't be removed becuase it is close to some nerves, and could paralyzle him. The doctor told the family that they should wait until he's fully grown to try to remove it. Thing is, they kinda want a 2nd opinion. The location of the tumor is very uncomfortable for the kid.

I dunno... seems to me like they could try some radiation or something...
 
Smurfette, got your pm.

Perham, I read that article, very strange and unsettling. Looks like private forced repatriation rather than la migra, and I don't know if that makes it better or worse.

Also, NPR had a story a couple days ago about a patient w a head injury and amnesia who was id'd and reunited with his family in guatamala using the dept of immigration.
 
UTMB was, at one time, the place for that kind of thing. Unfortunately, we can't afford it anymore. They just shut down 25 beds in the general medicine ward TO SAVE MONEY.
 
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