C., 45, is a single woman from a small town in the Negev with a history of schizophrenia and heart disease. She moved to Israel from the former Soviet Union in the early 1990’s and has been living in subsidized housing on disability assistance. A recent diagnosis of breast cancer was doubly complex for her, given her medical history. The nearest medical center is in Beer Sheba, more than an hour away, and she is staying in Beer Sheba while she is getting treatment. Her Social Worker, from the Breast Center at Soroka Medical Center in Beer Sheba, submitted an application to the Lemonade Fund on C.’s behalf, requesting assistance with cost of living and travel expenses for C. while she is in treatment. A Lemonade Fund grant was awarded.
M., 46, originally from Ethiopia, lives in a town north of Tel Aviv. She is separated from her husband and lives with her adult son who is currently working in odd jobs in order to try to support them. M. had worked as a nanny, but is now unable to work due to a recent diagnosis of advanced bilateral breast cancer. She is receiving neo-adjuvant chemotherapy to reduce the size of her tumors prior to surgery, and she is having a hard time with the side effects of the treatments. M. and her son were living below the poverty line before her illness, and now that they have increased costs due to illness, they are in real financial distress. The Lemonade Fund awarded them a grant to help them get through this difficult time.
