Cancer Patient Gives Back Through Pay It Forward Fund

ELGIN, IL – One local cancer patient's generosity has created a cascade of goodwill for patients dealing with the financial burden that often comes with battling cancer. Lisa Selby was receiving treatment at Advocate Sherman Hospital in Elgin after being diagnosed with Stage III colon cancer last February. But after a challenging surgery last June, Selby was in the hospital for six months before being discharged in December.

Her family, friends and tough nature, helped her pull through and she started chemotherapy this year.

Rachel Faustner, Sherman’s financial patient navigator, checked in with Selby regularly to see if she needed help financially. Luckily, Selby did not need financial aid. But Faustner shared with Selby that some patients do not have the insurance or funds to pay for treatment or medication, according to a news release from Advocate Health.

On one of Selby’s appointment days, Faustner told Selby about a patient whose insurance had declined treatment because they would only cover one treatment – even though the first one failed.

“I was appalled and could not sleep once I heard this,” Selby said. “So the next time I came in for my appointment, I gave Rachel a check for $1,000 to help that patient who had been denied by her insurance.”

But Rachel said she had an idea on how to make the most of that money. The next time Selby visited, she was presented with the idea of creating a fund through the Advocate Charitable Foundation to help more patients in need.

This collaboration lead to the "Pay it Forward" fund which has brought in $12,000 since March, the Daily Herald reports. More than $2,000 of that has been given to 16 cancer patients. Selby has contributed $5,000, and has pledged to contribute another $5,000 in the next five years while the rest of the funds came largely from Selby's efforts, according to the article.

The funds have helped pay for medication for patients who do not have insurance. And it also is helping to pay for things that are not covered by insurance, such as lymphedema sleeves and breast cancer bras, Faustner told the Daily Herald.

Selby also recently learned her pedicurist would be donating free manicures and pedicures to patients, according to the Advocate news release.

Selby said she is not doing anything extraordinary and credits her support network and the staff at Advocate – as well as her good fortune to have insurance and not have financial issues during her cancer battle.

“I am basically the ringmaster and like to talk,” shares Selby. “Writing a check is the easy part; the nurses and Rachel are doing the real work. Without them, there is no place for patients to get help and heal.”

To contribute to the Paying It Forward Fund to benefit those cancer patients in need of financial assistance through Advocate Sherman’s Cancer Care Center, contact Jose Macias with the Advocate Charitable Foundation by calling (224)783-3021 or email jose.macias@advocatehealth.com.

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