Tricia Bailey is a 46-year-old single mother of three living in St. Louis County. In 2018, Tricia went in for a routine mammogram that came back normal. Five months later, she felt a tender lump in her underarm. She received devastating news: stage two breast cancer.
After having a mastectomy on her left breast, Tricia began aggressive chemotherapy treatments, which took a toll on her body.
This past May, five years after her diagnosis, Tricia started to have symptoms she hadn’t experienced before: her appetite had disappeared and her stomach and back hurt constantly. Riddled with pain, Tricia could barely do household chores, let alone work. She was behind on rent and unable to pay her growing medical bills. The final blow came a month later when she was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer.
Tricia felt like she had the weight of the world on her shoulders. A million questions plagued her mind: how would she care for her three kids? Where would she find the means for rent? Who would make sure her children had stability and were secure?
During a visit with her doctor, Tricia shared her worries with a case manager, who referred her to JFS. She was put in contact with the JFS United for Families (UFF) case manager, who reassured Tricia that she was not alone.
The UFF case manager secured $1,000 in funding to help Tricia pay for rent. The financial support meant that Tricia could heal in her home and her children didn’t have to worry about moving and changing schools.
Together, Tricia and the case manager are working to apply for the Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program to cover her energy bills. They’re also collaborating to create a family budget that will sustain Tricia and her family while she is unable to work.
This is just the beginning of Tricia and JFS’ relationship. She knows JFS and the UFF case manager are only a phone call away. Today, she and her children remain in positive spirits, despite the obstacles thrown their way. With her children by her side, Tricia knows she can get through anything.