What started as a typical drive into work at Dollar General quickly became a terrifying journey.

Shirley didn’t feel right. A local provider told her she may have the flu and to go home and rest. Wisely, she decided to confirm the diagnosis at the McLeod Health Cheraw Emergency Department.

Shirley was stunned to learn that there was a large mass over her left lung. She was immediately transferred to McLeod Regional Medical Center (MRMC) in Florence under the care of Medical Oncologist Dr. Karim Tazi.

Dr. Tazi diagnosed Shirley with Stage I Non-Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. She would soon embark on six weeks of rigorous chemotherapy treatment.

“I never get sick,” Shirley shared. “When I heard the word ‘cancer,’ I cried and cried. Then I was just okay with it.”

A few weeks into her treatment, Shirley was found unconscious on the floor of her home. When she awoke, she was in the Intensive Care Unit at MRMC, dangerously ill. Her body had not responded well to the chemotherapy treatments, leaving her immune system compromised and weakened.

As she regained her strength, she learned she would need physical therapy to learn how to walk again. For Shirley, walking across a room without assistance proved to be a hazardous task. She desperately needed a rollator — a special walker with a seat. Without insurance, however, this piece of equipment would be impossible for Shirley to purchase on her own.

None of these events were a part of Shirley’s plan for her life. However, because of McLeod Health’s dedication to patients regardless of their ability to pay, Shirley did not have to worry about how she would afford these life-saving treatments and medications. She could focus entirely on regaining her health and strength.

In addition, through the HOPE Fund Shirley was able to obtain the rollator she needed.

Thanks to dedicated HOPE Fund donors like you, Shirley and many others have access to medication, nutrition and immediate assistance during their most challenging time.

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