In August of 2018, Glorita Selga was rushed to the hospital because a tumor in her breast ruptured. She was diagnosed with Stage IV, inflammatory breast cancer. Fear had paralyzed Glorita for many months from seeking help. The disease had left her unable to move, unable to speak, and unable to care for herself or her two daughters. Glorita was afraid to officially receive the diagnosis of breast cancer. Her fear: how would they pay for treatment and continue to pay for day to day expenses to care for her family? Faced with a car payment they couldn’t afford, Glorita placed a call to the DONNA CareLine. Linda answered Glorita’s call and listened to her story, encouraged her to rejoin her life, and helped to secure a financial grant. “They boosted my morale to move on and fight the cancer,” said Glorita. Linda and the DONNA CareLine case management team would continue to support Glorita and her family in the months to follow to find sources of debt relief so Glorita could focus on healing.
More than a year later, Glorita is still in treatment for her breast cancer; however, in her words, “I am doing so much better.” She is now able to manage day to day household responsibilities and is determined to share her story to inspire other women (and men) to ask for help. “Be in your life again,” said Glorita. “Stand up, there is still life ahead.”
Glorita has chosen love over fear and hopes her story will help others facing breast cancer to do the same.