When msk isnt within reach

[Trying]

In canada and hear souch positive about msk. Im currently unoperable as i have perimet and liver mets on an artery. They keep saying we need to see how much they shrink to even look at surgery but it usially isnt an option if its spread yo more than one place. Im on my 3rd opinion. Im not covered by medical in tje usa as im a canada cotozen. Im a single mom so dont k ow how i would afford msk however if you have some stories of how msk could help when others could not ( similar to my situation) i could possibly look imto a loan. I have to beat this. I have a baby. Cpuld any of you share the cost. In canada all treatment is free so i have no idea what im looking at for consultation and surgery. Im discouraged. Im ay major cancer center and my dr is head of hospital
Maybe i should trust him?

[Mohrfamily]

If I've learned anything from the amazing people on here its don't lose hope and when there's a will there's a way. My DH is at the beginning on an MSK journey. We are a small country town family on a pretty tight budget but we agree anything is worth saving his life you can't think about hurt feelings or worry about money you can't put a price on being HERE. Others will probably have great advice financial or otherwise, I was told Dr. Kemeny sees patients from everywhere even Dubai!

The motto I leave you with is when there's a will there's a way. Keep the hope and positively alive.

[hiker]

Hey Trying,

There is no doubt cancer care is outrageously expensive - without great insurance over the past 2 years I'd be broke and living in a cardboard box (well, probably a tent in the mountains somewhere). But over my working career I've paid dearly for that insurance so I figure me and the insurance company are probably break-even at this point.

Getting a second opinion at MSK shouldn't be that expensive...send them your scans and files, fly down to NYC, and see what they say. The whole thing shouldn't be more than a thousand dollars. Have you contacted MSK to see if there's anything they can do to help you? Look up their financial assistance number on the website and give them a call. A lot of wonderful, generous people have contributed and continue to contribute millions to MSK so they can help those who can't afford to pay for treatment (these generous people are who some like to call the evil rich or the top 1%).

When I see Dr. Kemeny, the waiting room is filled with people from all walks of life (rich and poor, white and black, people from all over the world).

I wish you the best.

hiker

[cbsmith]

I live in Canada. I’ve been lucky to have my employer send me to the US to visit a cancer center for a second opinion. I haven’t been to MsK but I have been to Mass General twice, once at the beginning when I was stage 3B and again when I went to Stage 4. If I recalle correctly it was between $1000-1500 for the consult and meeting plus travel.

It may be worth it to call and see what the costs are, especially if you have liver involvement. I didn’t luckily and my local oncologist was following the standard that Mass General said was best as well.

[Pyro]

In canada and hear souch positive about msk. Im currently unoperable as i have perimet and liver mets on an artery. They keep saying we need to see how much they shrink to even look at surgery but it usially isnt an option if its spread yo more than one place. Im on my 3rd opinion. Im not covered by medical in tje usa as im a canada cotozen. Im a single mom so dont k ow how i would afford msk however if you have some stories of how msk could help when others could not ( similar to my situation) i could possibly look imto a loan. I have to beat this. I have a baby. Cpuld any of you share the cost. In canada all treatment is free so i have no idea what im looking at for consultation and surgery. Im discouraged. Im ay major cancer center and my dr is head of hospital
Maybe i should trust him?

Breathe. MSK is good but they don’t live in a vacuum, everything they do in regards to treatment is available at other major centers, I had pretty good luck in Houston at MD Anderson. The frontline treatments are pretty standardized throughout USA and Canada, Oncologist just don’t make things up or wildly guess at treatment. I’m. not in Canada so I don’t know how healthcare works there, I’ll save my socialized medicine thoughts for a different web site but from what you said, the treatment you’re being offered sounds normal. The major cancer centers are great when you’re told no anywhere else. We put a lot of hope in our doctors, there are a few that have floated to the top of discussions here, especially at MSK, if you would have been on this site 2 years ago it was all about MD Anderson. One doc does not have all the answers, they study what the major centers publish and they are constantly learning.

[hiker]

Breathe. MSK is good but they don’t live in a vacuum, everything they do in regards to treatment is available at other major centers, I had pretty good luck in Houston at MD Anderson. The frontline treatments are pretty standardized throughout USA and Canada, Oncologist just don’t make things up or wildly guess at treatment. I’m. not in Canada so I don’t know how healthcare works there, I’ll save my socialized medicine thoughts for a different web site but from what you said, the treatment you’re being offered sounds normal. The major cancer centers are great when you’re told no anywhere else. We put a lot of hope in our doctors, there are a few that have floated to the top of discussions here, especially at MSK, if you would have been on this site 2 years ago it was all about MD Anderson. One doc does not have all the answers, they study what the major centers publish and they are constantly learning.

Except for the fact that at MSK, Trying may be able to get the HAI pump to destroy her liver mets and get her to resectable which isn't available everywhere else nor are other oncologists as experienced with it as Dr. Kemeny in particular (with an 80% 5-year survival rate and 60% 10-year which is outstanding) and MSK in general.

hiker