Florida nonprofit eases the financial stress of cancer

When the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation stepped forward to pay Jessica Mendez’s rent, the single mother of four said the gift put “new air in her lungs.” 

“When you don't pay the rent on time, you can't sleep,” Mendez said. “I just went to sleep peacefully because I paid my rent.”

Two of her children are grown and out of the house, but her two youngest, Ian and Amanda Huezo, are teenagers still living at home.

Mendez will never forget the day she was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. It was Oct. 18, 2022. 

Earlier that year, Mendez decided to make a career change. She wanted to leave the office work at the Florida Department of Education behind and put her master’s degree into practice in the classroom.

She started teaching Pre-K at Manatee Elementary School that fall, but on Oct. 18, she hadn’t been with the school district for more than 90 days, so her benefits hadn’t taken effect yet. 

Mendez’s doctor scheduled surgery for four days later and said she’d need to stay home for eight weeks. On top of the fear and emotional stress of being diagnosed with cancer, Mendez faced the panic of having no insurance and possibly losing her job.

Mendez wouldn’t be paid for any time missed, and if she stayed home for more than six weeks, she wouldn’t be able to return to her classroom. 

After hearing Mendez’s story, a nurse navigator at Sarasota Memorial Hospital referred her to the Florida Cancer Specialists Foundation, which paid $3,000 to cover six weeks worth of rent while Mendez was healing from surgery and undergoing chemo therapy. 

Mendez was advised to stay home for eight weeks, but went back to work after five weeks under strict instructions to stay seated most of the day.

She’ll continue to take a chemo therapy drug through May, but Mendez is now cancer free. 

“Florida Cancer Specialists are not giving money only,” Mendez said. “They treated me like family. Dr. (Elizabeth) Guancial doesn’t know me, but she treated me like a friend and talked to me all the time, step by step.” 

The foundation provides financial aid to cancer patients all over Florida, and they do not have to be patients of the Florida Cancer Specialists and Research Institute. 

The foundation provides “essential everyday living expenses,” which includes rent, mortgage payments, utility bills and auto insurance. Grantees must be 18 and older and undergoing active cancer treatment, which includes 90 days following the last treatment. 

Executive Director Lynn Rasys said the foundation gave away over $2 million in financial assistance last year, which was its biggest year ever. 

“However, we’re projecting to end 2024 at $2.5 million,” Rasys said. “The cost of goods, living, medical expenses — everything has gone up — and the flood gates have opened. The applications are nonstop.”

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The foundation receives about 4,000 applications a year, but not all applicants qualify under the financial requirements. Applicants must have an annual income at or below 200% of the Federal Poverty Guidelines and have less than $5,000 in total household liquid assets. 

“We are very proud that since we were founded (in 2011), we have never turned away a qualified patient,” Rasys said.

However, this year’s high demand has left the foundation seeking an additional $300,000 to cover the full $2.5 million of requests. Rasys described the impact of this year’s hurricane season as a “double insult.” 

“Not only are they going through active cancer treatment, but they’ve been affected by the hurricanes,” she said. “We want to be able to help anyone who applied within the deadline, and pay everyone out in December to close out the year. We need everyone’s help to make that happen.” 

Every dollar donated goes straight to patients because the Florida Cancer Specialists physicians cover the foundation’s overhead expenses and staff salaries.