A cancer diagnosis can send anyone’s life into a tailspin, especially when medical treatment also means time away from work and mounting household bills.
For Jamie A. of Kansas City, Mo., learning she had B-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia at age 27 was overwhelming. The medical procedures and treatments she needed required her to take time away from work. While her job was protected during leave, she was not getting paid.
“I was surviving cancer, but the bills just kept hitting me back-to-back,” Jamie shared. “I was already on the brink of potentially losing my electricity. It was a really big stress. I didn’t think I was going to make it.”
So she called her utility provider, Evergy, and asked about the possibility of getting on a payment plan.
She said, “They directed me to the 211 number.”
United Way 211 Connected Jamie to Utility Assistance
A United Way 211 Community Resource Specialist shared that Jamie’s illness could mean she was eligible for support from United Way’s Critical Medical Needs program. Made possible through generous support from utility providers Evergy and Spire, the program helps eligible Missouri households facing a medical or mental health diagnosis restore services or prevent utility disconnection—so loss of power does not make a health condition worse.
“I wasn’t even aware something like this was available,” she said. “I had to call Evergy twice and told them I really can’t afford it. It’s either this or paying rent. I was really stuck.”
Critical Medical Needs Support Provided Relief During Treatment
Thankfully, Jamie was approved for utility assistance through the Critical Medical Needs program, eliminating nearly $500 in utility debt and keeping her power connected as she continues treatment.
“Getting the relief for the light bill, you don’t understand just how much it helped me,” she said. “It allowed me to save back a little for the next month’s rent so once I did start getting paid again, I wouldn’t be living check to check.”
It was an immediate weight lifted off her shoulders that improved her entire outlook on the difficult hand she’d been dealt with leukemia.
“I’m really grateful there are people who have the opportunity to help people like me in situations like this. I hope they understand the effect they have on people,” Jamie said. “Their generosity, it truly helps lift the negativity from your shoulders and just makes you hopeful. It made me feel like I wasn’t alone.”
How the Critical Medical Needs Program Helps Kansas City Households
So far this year, the Critical Medical Needs program has provided more than $327,000 of assistance to 484 households.
Through United Way 211, eligible households can be connected to resources that help prevent disconnection or restore essential utility services during a medical or behavioral health crisis.
Support United Way of Greater Kansas City to help ensure individuals and families facing crisis can access critical resources, build resilience and stay connected to the services they need.