Guy Tries Selling His Grandfather’s Tools To Pay For Mom’s Cancer Treatment, People Don’t Let Him
It’s a sad state of affairs when someone needs to resort to selling precious family heirlooms to fund their parent’s life-saving medical care, and we need to write articles celebrating the kindness of strangers that pitched in to help them.
But that’s where we are in 2019. Sure, people are awesome – the way a community can rally to help out one of its members is wholesome and beautiful and shows the very best of our humanity. We are by nature social, empathetic animals and we will continue to look out for each other in a society that is increasingly individualistic, selfish and competitive.
This story is a timely reminder of this. Redditor u/MrElonMusk420 found himself in a desperate situation, needing to urgently raise funds for his mom’s medicine.
The poor woman has not only had to suffer through the trauma of a cancer diagnosis and months of brutal chemo, but she’s had to drain her life savings to fund her own care. So now she’s broke, too.
Her son is humble and enterprising and is obviously doing his best to help his mom get through this. I’m sure his grandfather would be proud of him!
Although it sucks to have to give up a treasured family memory like this, needs must when the devil drives. Sadly, in America, nobody else is going to help.
No money? No care.
In the absence of a humane healthcare system, it is up to small communities like this to look after themselves. The response to this desperate son’s post was wonderfully affirming and left him in floods of gratitude tears.
Beautiful or what? Mr. Elon left an emotional update on the situation later on
The whole story is a bittersweet reminder of the current state of affairs. Humans are intrinsically awesome and we are still more than capable of organizing ourselves as a community to help out those in need. But why does it need to come to this? Crowdfunded life-saving medical care should not become the norm in any developed nation.
Surely the safety net should be much, much higher than a knife swap group on Reddit?
Here’s what people had to say about the heartwarming story
This story is heartwarming, but the reality is that it shouldnt even be an issue. The US, is the richest country in the history of the world. And yet; we struggle to provide health care to our citizens.
It's true. Because the f*cking government isnt doing what it needs to.
Health care is one of the bigger expenses in socialistic countries. Perhaps by not wasting 10% of the GDP on healthcare is why the USA is so rich?
socialist countries all have terrible health care...capitalist countries with certain social policies(like the usa or germany)have it better....
We pay more for health care NOW than we would if we had Medicare for All. We spend a ridiculous amount of money on useless wars and imprisoning our population.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Yeah. By using the term "socialistic" you just show how little you know about other countries or state finance or healthcare or anything, actually....Donald, is that you?!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
But...it's not. By having cheap healthcare, we stop people from getting sick early, when it's cheaper. We reduce infection rates. While there are outliers, this is considered best practice internationally. The US has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world, way ahead of some third world countries. This is incomprehensible to others.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
yup!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Well a lot of research has shown that the value of cancer care is higher here, and that cancer patients live longer than in the EU. Free doesn't necessarily mean better. I'm not arguing that our healthcare isn't expensive, it is, but the treatments are effective. Ideally every country would have the same quality of care at affordable rates.
I don't see health as free in my country (im from europe) since all the workers pay it with our taxes. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I'd like to point out that many, many European countries have a higher life expectancy than we have here in the US. We are ranked #37, so clearly they're doing something better than we are. Also, their care isn't FREE. People pay into the system so they can have healthcare.
@C The source you quoted is a discussion actually disputing the results of one study that claims that your statement is true. Mostly because of lead time bias. A nasty little bigger that needs to be filtered out if you want to say anything about the quality of treatment. Also Europe is very diverse. Cancer treatments in the Netherlands (and other Western and Northern countries) is top notch. Research is shared amongst peers all over the world and evidence based medicine is practiced the same way as the us does. I highly doubt the quality of treatment is suboptimal compared to the US. The fact that countries that do have lesser access to adequate treatment are in the mix, makes me believe our treatment might be better because of accessibility. Since screening is free too. So if you would zoom in to the Netherlands for instance, you would then see a higher survival rate because of the same lead time bias caused by easy access combined with comparable quality of treatment.
You forgot to add the disclaimer: cancer patients that can get and afford treatment. The best medical care in the world is useless if you don't have access to it.
Thanks C, I'll check that out when I get home. Not sure why I got downvoted for asking a source, but glad you still saw it.
Oh, that is interesting. Can you share the source please? I'd love to check that out.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Kai I agree, but people seem to forget that it isn't free. CP- you generally can't get turned down for treatment if you don't pay. You'll get billed and just pay what you can. That's the one nice thing about it. You can say hey I can only pay a few dollars this month. As long as you're paying something on your bills they won't default
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/cancer-care-in-the-u-s-versus-europe/ here you go Demi
While the evolving story is touching, one has to ask why generous individuals privately habe to cover what society as a whole should cover with a working healthcare system.
The American Healthcare System is a mafia. The Capi di Tutti Capi is comprised of politicians. It's hard to get out of the clutches of the mafia.
Vex, you're giving hateful people an easy way out by blaming politicians. There are PLENTY of selfish monsters, also referred to as "citizens", that don't want to pay for ANYONE ELSE's healthcare. They're the most disgusting people on the planet.
Nobody should be in this position in 2019. Here in the UK, we are so fortunate to have a health service that we can turn to 24/7, without having to even consider 'can we afford it'? My heart goes out to anyone who doesn't have the same safety net.
C, Erm... yeah, the NL that Demi referred to stands for The Netherlands. New Zealand is NZ.
No worries, these get hard to track ! And obviously I can't read anyway lol
C, the original poster was speaking of the UK, and you said "countries" so that's why I brought up the UK. My apologies for missing the entire thread.
Well obviously I read that wrong (nobody is immune to error), but neither of us were referring to the UK as happyhippie brought up. The lynch mob is out today- I am just giving counter points that obviously nobody is interested in.
Well... If Brexit goes sour, then honestly you can expect your healthcare to become identical to the US. It seems like No Deal is off the table at least, but watch closely and prepare yourself. Out government is eyeing your country like a hungry vulture. They want you guys to make a bad deal so our pharmaceuticals can pounce and control your market as well.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Yes we have an amazing NHS in the UK but we don't have enough staff because the jobs are so stressful and the government keeps cutting their funding...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Well I've read that the quality of care and the access is not so great in other countries because those expensive treatments have to be budgeted for. Of course cancer treatment is way too expensive, but when it is provided by the government there is far more red tape to go through. I have experience because I am treated through the VA for free, but I have to go through long exhausting process to get the more expensive meds. When it's 'free' it is a lot harder to get. There are pros and cons of every system but nobody with cancer should have to wait, get lesser quality of care, or have to go bankrupt over it.
Not sure where you're from, but here (NL) we get cancer treatment when we need it, no red tape. Obviously none of it is free, we pay taxes and have (affordable, social) health insurance.
Somehow because "you've read" you know more than the people who live there? I have lived in the UK, NOBODY waits for freaking treatments if they need them.
When you you can't pay for it, care is even harder to get than having to get through red tape.
Happy this was referring to NEW ZEALAND because Demi brought it up. I sourced an article from a NEW ZEALAND newspaper talking about the problem in having to wait for cancer care.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
And patients there can wait MONTHS for treatment. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11958232
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Demi, in New Zealand if you don't want any delay in your cancer care you have to pay for private care.
This story is heartwarming, but the reality is that it shouldnt even be an issue. The US, is the richest country in the history of the world. And yet; we struggle to provide health care to our citizens.
It's true. Because the f*cking government isnt doing what it needs to.
Health care is one of the bigger expenses in socialistic countries. Perhaps by not wasting 10% of the GDP on healthcare is why the USA is so rich?
socialist countries all have terrible health care...capitalist countries with certain social policies(like the usa or germany)have it better....
We pay more for health care NOW than we would if we had Medicare for All. We spend a ridiculous amount of money on useless wars and imprisoning our population.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Yeah. By using the term "socialistic" you just show how little you know about other countries or state finance or healthcare or anything, actually....Donald, is that you?!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
But...it's not. By having cheap healthcare, we stop people from getting sick early, when it's cheaper. We reduce infection rates. While there are outliers, this is considered best practice internationally. The US has one of the highest maternal mortality rates in the developed world, way ahead of some third world countries. This is incomprehensible to others.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
yup!
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Well a lot of research has shown that the value of cancer care is higher here, and that cancer patients live longer than in the EU. Free doesn't necessarily mean better. I'm not arguing that our healthcare isn't expensive, it is, but the treatments are effective. Ideally every country would have the same quality of care at affordable rates.
I don't see health as free in my country (im from europe) since all the workers pay it with our taxes. Correct me if I'm wrong.
I'd like to point out that many, many European countries have a higher life expectancy than we have here in the US. We are ranked #37, so clearly they're doing something better than we are. Also, their care isn't FREE. People pay into the system so they can have healthcare.
@C The source you quoted is a discussion actually disputing the results of one study that claims that your statement is true. Mostly because of lead time bias. A nasty little bigger that needs to be filtered out if you want to say anything about the quality of treatment. Also Europe is very diverse. Cancer treatments in the Netherlands (and other Western and Northern countries) is top notch. Research is shared amongst peers all over the world and evidence based medicine is practiced the same way as the us does. I highly doubt the quality of treatment is suboptimal compared to the US. The fact that countries that do have lesser access to adequate treatment are in the mix, makes me believe our treatment might be better because of accessibility. Since screening is free too. So if you would zoom in to the Netherlands for instance, you would then see a higher survival rate because of the same lead time bias caused by easy access combined with comparable quality of treatment.
You forgot to add the disclaimer: cancer patients that can get and afford treatment. The best medical care in the world is useless if you don't have access to it.
Thanks C, I'll check that out when I get home. Not sure why I got downvoted for asking a source, but glad you still saw it.
Oh, that is interesting. Can you share the source please? I'd love to check that out.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Kai I agree, but people seem to forget that it isn't free. CP- you generally can't get turned down for treatment if you don't pay. You'll get billed and just pay what you can. That's the one nice thing about it. You can say hey I can only pay a few dollars this month. As long as you're paying something on your bills they won't default
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
https://sciencebasedmedicine.org/cancer-care-in-the-u-s-versus-europe/ here you go Demi
While the evolving story is touching, one has to ask why generous individuals privately habe to cover what society as a whole should cover with a working healthcare system.
The American Healthcare System is a mafia. The Capi di Tutti Capi is comprised of politicians. It's hard to get out of the clutches of the mafia.
Vex, you're giving hateful people an easy way out by blaming politicians. There are PLENTY of selfish monsters, also referred to as "citizens", that don't want to pay for ANYONE ELSE's healthcare. They're the most disgusting people on the planet.
Nobody should be in this position in 2019. Here in the UK, we are so fortunate to have a health service that we can turn to 24/7, without having to even consider 'can we afford it'? My heart goes out to anyone who doesn't have the same safety net.
C, Erm... yeah, the NL that Demi referred to stands for The Netherlands. New Zealand is NZ.
No worries, these get hard to track ! And obviously I can't read anyway lol
C, the original poster was speaking of the UK, and you said "countries" so that's why I brought up the UK. My apologies for missing the entire thread.
Well obviously I read that wrong (nobody is immune to error), but neither of us were referring to the UK as happyhippie brought up. The lynch mob is out today- I am just giving counter points that obviously nobody is interested in.
Well... If Brexit goes sour, then honestly you can expect your healthcare to become identical to the US. It seems like No Deal is off the table at least, but watch closely and prepare yourself. Out government is eyeing your country like a hungry vulture. They want you guys to make a bad deal so our pharmaceuticals can pounce and control your market as well.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Yes we have an amazing NHS in the UK but we don't have enough staff because the jobs are so stressful and the government keeps cutting their funding...
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Well I've read that the quality of care and the access is not so great in other countries because those expensive treatments have to be budgeted for. Of course cancer treatment is way too expensive, but when it is provided by the government there is far more red tape to go through. I have experience because I am treated through the VA for free, but I have to go through long exhausting process to get the more expensive meds. When it's 'free' it is a lot harder to get. There are pros and cons of every system but nobody with cancer should have to wait, get lesser quality of care, or have to go bankrupt over it.
Not sure where you're from, but here (NL) we get cancer treatment when we need it, no red tape. Obviously none of it is free, we pay taxes and have (affordable, social) health insurance.
Somehow because "you've read" you know more than the people who live there? I have lived in the UK, NOBODY waits for freaking treatments if they need them.
When you you can't pay for it, care is even harder to get than having to get through red tape.
Happy this was referring to NEW ZEALAND because Demi brought it up. I sourced an article from a NEW ZEALAND newspaper talking about the problem in having to wait for cancer care.
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
And patients there can wait MONTHS for treatment. https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/article.cfm?c_id=1&objectid=11958232
This comment is hidden. Click here to view.
Demi, in New Zealand if you don't want any delay in your cancer care you have to pay for private care.