At just one year old, Mariah was diagnosed with neuroblastoma, a type of childhood cancer that consists of a solid tumor. Mariah’s tumor grew around several levels of her spine, wrapped around a portion of her heart, and occupied almost the entire right side of her chest. She underwent multiple surgeries and several rounds of radiation. A two-year clinical trial at the Mayo Clinic saved her life. However, the treatment — especially at such a young age — left her with numerous long-term side effects, including intense pain and migraines. Physical therapy has helped alleviate the pain, but every three months she needs to get approval from her insurance provider to continue her care. This approval sometimes takes up to two months to obtain. Both she and her physical therapist have spent hours on the phone, trying to get the therapy reapproved.
Mariah also takes prescription drugs and has learned to check drug formularies every time her health insurance plan changes to make sure her drugs are covered. She has learned the ins and outs of the insurance system because her life depends on it, but she realizes not everyone has this knowledge: “If you are like me, you’ve dealt with the insurance process for a long time, and you learn how to work within the system. How can someone just starting their cancer journey, with a full-time job, have the time to do this?”
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