Cancer Charity Partners

Cancer Charity Partners

I donate 10% of profits to esophageal cancer research.  The name JP’s Delight is for my dad, John-Paul, who inspired me to follow my dreams.  Unfortunately, he passed away 2 months before the initial start of JP’s Delights after an 11 month battle with stage 4 esophageal cancer.  This is my motivation for donating 10% towards esophageal cancer research.  

 https://sites.google.com/view/jpvass  

If you’re interested in finding out more about our personal journey, facts about esophageal cancer, prevention tips, questions to ask your doctor, sample menus, recipes that have helped my dad while he’s been having a hard time eating, and my travel guides to get the most out of some of the cities you may be traveling to for treatment (city guides for Miami (UM Sylvester), Ft. Lauderdale, West Palm Beach, Houston (MD Anderson), and New York (MSK)).  I have a section with links to the latest research articles, websites for further research and knowledge on cancer, clinical trials, complementary, integrative, and alternative medicines, foods, smartphone apps, debunking myths, information on various metastases, what to do to combat side effects and symptoms, and potential resources to help with the associated costs.  I have both general cancer information and resources as well as specific esophageal cancer information and resources.  It’s all the information I’ve been researching and compiling over the last year.  Little things like if you use plastic silverware you’ll get some of your tastes back and food won’t have the metallic aftertaste that’s a side effect of chemotherapy.  I figured I should share what I’ve found to save people time and energy.  If some good can come from this horrible experience then it’s all the better.  I’m not a doctor, yet, and I’m not an expert.  My opinions are my own based on my research and the sources listed.  If you have any questions or comments, I’d love to hear from you!  I am not advising on how to proceed, only providing as much information I can, so you can better make your own decisions.

While in general, the statistics can be grim, one must keep a few things in mind:

Statistics are just numbers, whilst you are a living, breathing human being.  An individual.  Everyone reacts differently to a treatment.  

Published statistics are usually already outdated by the time they get published, and then they hang around in cyberspace and may be extremely outdated by the time you find them and read them.

https://sites.google.com/view/jpvass

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Costs of Cancer

Cancer is costly. Paying for cancer care shaped the way people make daily decisions, and it also takes an emotional toll. It can take a toll on your health, your emotions, your time, your relationships – and your wallet. There will be unexpected charges, and even the best health insurance won’t cover all your costs.

According to the American Institute of Cancer Research (AICR) the price for one year of life increased to $54,100 in 1995, $139,100 in 2005, and $207,000 in 2013.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a treatment which shrunk tumors in 60 percent of patients in a clinical trial. The drug’s manufacturer, Bristol-Myers Squibb, will charge $141,000 for the first 12 weeks of treatment and $256,000 for a year of treatment, according to the Wall Street Journal.

According to the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey from the Agency for Healthcare Research Quality, cancer care cost an average of $85,201 per patient in 2010-2011 (When accounting for inflation that would be about $100,102 per patient in 2018).

Annualized mean net costs of care for Male 65+ years old Esophageal Cancer Patients $79,822 in 2010 US Dollars. NIH estimates adjusted for patient deductibles and coinsurance expenses. About $90,997.08 in 2018.

Newly approved cancer drugs cost an average of $10,000 per month, with some therapies topping $30,000 per month, according to ASCO, which discussed the costs of cancer care at a 2015 meeting.

11 of the 12 cancer drugs the FDA approved for fighting cancer in 2012 were priced at more than $100,000 per year. (Journal of National Cancer Institute)

Patients typically pay 20 to 30% out of pocket for drugs, so an average year’s worth of new drugs would cost $24,000 to $36,000 in addition to health insurance premiums.

Average costs of radiation therapy: 1 Month $13,209, 2 Months $24,150, 3 Months $38,732 (Avalere Health study)

Average costs of chemotherapy: 1 Month $13,828, 2 Months $61,661, 3 Months $102,395 (Avalere Health study)

Drugs aren’t the only expense. Patients must also pay for drugs that mitigate the side effects of chemotherapy, pay provider and facility fees, and often lose income when they miss work or lose their jobs.

67% of the total costs of cancer treatment are non-medical (American Cancer Society)

According to UnitedHealthcare data, drugs themselves account for only 24% of direct cancer costs. Hospital and outpatient facilities account for 54 % of costs, and physician fees account for 22%.

Costs of surgery averages ranging from $14,161 to $56,587 (MayoClinic)

Cancer patients are 2.5 times more likely to file for bankruptcy than people who don’t have cancer. A study presented at the 2014 Palliative Care in Oncology Symposium found 27% of cancer survivors reported suffering a financial problem like debt or bankruptcy. Another 37% reported modifying work plans or delaying retirement.

A survey by the American Cancer Society revealed that 25% of cancer patients in the U.S. put off getting a test or treatment because of the cost.

The same survey by the American Cancer Society found that 1 out of 5 respondents over the age of 65 said they had used all or much of their savings on cancer care.cancer