A woman in Phoenix, Arizona, told people that she had breast cancer. She said that she would need a double mastectomy and breast reconstruction, and that she was uninsured. Fundraisers were held. Later, it was discovered that the woman didn’t have breast cancer at all. She lied so she could afford to buy breast implants.
A twenty-seven year old woman named Jami Lynn Toler has been charged with fraud and theft after convincing people to raise money for cancer treatment that she did not need. She did not need cancer treatment because she did not have breast cancer. In fact, she didn’t have any type of cancer at all.
This didn’t stop her from pointing out to people that she was uninsured and needed money in order to pay for her breast cancer treatment and reconstruction. She told this lie to her mother, and her grandparents. She also lied to her former boss, (who works in a hospice). Ms. Toler helped to organize fundraisers to help her pay for cancer treatment, and more than $8,000 was collected.
The only part of Ms. Toler’s story that was true was that she did not have health insurance. It appears that a doctor offered to treat her breast cancer for free – but she turned down the offer. Obviously, this would be a really strange choice for a person who had breast cancer that was so severe that she required a double mastectomy.
It was learned that Jami Lynn Toler took the money from the fundraiser and used it to pay a plastic surgeon (in cash). In other words, Ms. Toler lied to people in order to raise money so she could pay to have her breasts enhanced, (a cosmetic, elective, surgery). She didn’t get away with it.
There are some options for women who actually do have breast cancer and who lack health insurance. In most states, Planned Parenthood clinics are able to help women who need a mammogram or a breast cancer screening. They take Medicaid, (unless you live in Arizona or Texas where lawmakers have made laws banning that type of funding). Planned Parenthood does use a sliding scale to help those who are low-income to receive health care.
Some states have a Medicaid Cancer Treatment Program. To qualify, a person must be a citizen of the United States who is not covered by any health insurance when the person applies for Medicaid. The person must have been diagnosed with breast cancer, or a pre-cancerous breast condition. Specific details vary by state, but it is worth checking into.
Image by SCA Svenska Cellulosa Aktiebolaget on Flickr