Mary Garcia, 59, is battling three cancers — lung cancer, thyroid cancer and melanoma in her lymph nodes — but says the financial strain of treatment worries her more than the disease itself.
“It’s hard to open your mouth and say, ‘hey, I need help,’” Garcia said. “This isn’t working for me. Somebody needs to hear me holler.”
OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital’s Oncology Navigators connect patients to clinical, social and financial support. Garcia works with two navigators: Tammy McChristy-Weaver, an oncology nurse navigator who handles clinical questions, and Gillian Garverick, a social work navigator who helps with social and emotional needs.
“If a patient were to come and say, ‘I can’t afford rent, I can’t get groceries, I can’t get to my appointments,’ I’d be the go-to to connect them to local resources or hospital programs to get access to food, financial assistance and transportation,” Garverick said.
Garcia needed help with groceries, car and insurance payments, and gas money. The navigators secured support through Catholic Charities and OhioHealth funds. She has kept every gas card she received as a reminder.
“People need to know that there are people out there willing to help,” Garcia said. “When you have somebody not related to you and not close to you say, ‘what can I do to help you?’ it takes the weight off the shoulders. Completely.”
Garcia said she feels less alone on her cancer journey. “I’ve always been told: God sends somebody to your door for a reason,” she said. “And I believe that. He sent me my angels.”
She encourages other cancer patients to accept help and to start by reaching out to oncology navigators for support.
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