Deybe Altschuler, 48, was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2019 and began getting treatment in 2020. After rounds of chemotherapy, immunotherapy, and a bilateral mastectomy —and contacting Dollar For to help clear the bills for it all— Deybe says today she feels like God has given her a second chance at life.
Originally from Colombia, Deybe visits there often, but is based in Florida. She received the cancer diagnosis in Colombia, yet it made most sense for her to be treated in Miami, so she could be at home and close to work at the Aventura Mall.
“The University of Miami [Hospital and Clinic] has a good team for breast cancer treatment. My doctor was excellent and very committed to her patients. The team of nurses in the chemotherapy hall did a good job of explaining things to me. They always explained the possible side effects of my medications,” Deybe says in Spanish.
Despite the attentiveness of the medical staff, however, Deybe struggled to find the right people to talk to about the bills she knew were piling up “from day zero.”
Deybe says she earned very little —around $12 an hour— as a retail worker, but that the lines for financial assistance were blurred since she was asked to show past tax documents she’d filed jointly, with her absent husband. “His income was higher, so I wasn’t qualifying for any type of assistance — even if he wasn’t supporting me in any way,” she explains.
For a long time, Deybe says she felt physical pain from the cancer treatment, particularly in her left arm. Still, she forced herself to go to work and also took on driving for Uber. There were times her mother helped her pay for her medical visits, she adds.
“I tried to make $50, $100, $200 payments. And every time I went to the clinic, I was responsible for the copay,” Deybe recalls.
She requested an appointment with a social worker to discuss financial aid, but says that was only “somewhat helpful.”
Deybe eventually turned to Google in hopes of finding a better solution. She came across Dollar For and contacted the organization.
“The process was very speedy, and for the first time throughout this experience, I felt like someone cared about everything I was going through, about my financial situation,” Deybe says of working with Dollar For.
Dollar For offers help with hospital financial assistance in both English and Spanish. Though she isn’t fluent in English, Deybe notes she can read the language quite well, and communicated with the organization through email and text messages. “It was exciting to read any email from [Dollar For], leading up to the moment when my request for assistance was approved,” she says.
With her $3,870 debt cleared to $0, Deybe got emotional in detailing what that meant for her and her 23-year-old son, who lives with her. “We were able to pay the deposit and rent for a new house!” she exclaims.
Via the video interview with Deybe, she gave Dollar For an enthusiastic tour of her home.
In many ways, Deybe says a cancer diagnosis can feel like a death sentence, including with the never-ending bills.
“Unfortunately, going through this process can feel like life is dragging you through a tornado that is taking everything… But if I can inspire others to seek help with my story, I’m happy to do that,” Deybe says.