A co-worker of mine was diagnosed with breast cancer earlier this year. She is in her early thirties, married with two young daughters. She had a bilateral mastectomy followed by chemotherapy and will be starting radiation therapy this week. Her family is now facing serious financial difficulties. She is presently collecting disability insurance, which only pays a fraction of what she earns. The company that her husband works for is not doing well due to the recession and he has taken a cut in pay. They do not think the business will continue past the end of this year. They are two months behind on their mortgage payments. There are plenty of groups that provide mammograms and medical assistance but she can’t find any programs or charities that can offer assistance or a loan that would tide her family over until she returns to work. She has contacted the Sussex County (New Jersey) department of Health and Human Services but was told that they make too much money for any assistance. I contacted 211 and they said the same. This is a perfect example of the type of family that falls thru the cracks in the system. They are / were able, with two salaries, to provide for their family with little left over after the monthly bills to put into savings or emergency fund. They do not live lavishly. The stress of possible home foreclosure cannot be helpful with her recovery. Please let me know if there are any resources for women in her position. I will then forward that information to her.