Kootenai | Kootenai Health | Issue 3, 2015

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of my family, my church and
the staff at Kootenai,” Cindy
said. “It’s so much easier to come
in for treatment when you feel
like everyone there knows you and
genuinely cares.”
Even though Cindy found herself
surrounded by physical and emo-
tional support, she and her husband,
Frank Fabianski, struggled to keep
up financially once Frank left his
job to help care for Cindy. With
monthly bills and medical bills
adding up, Cindy sought assistance
with the help of Maggi McElfresh,
a social worker with Kootenai
Clinic Cancer Services.
With Maggi’s help, Cindy applied
for two grants to offset some of the
costs of treatment. Cindy received
the Susan G. Komen Cancer Patient
Support Grant as well as assistance
from the Kootenai Health Founda-
tion’s Cancer Patient Support Fund.
These grants are funded through
the Susan G. Komen Foundation
as well as generous community
donations.
“Cindy has a wonderful, gentle
spirit and has taken her diagnosis
and treatment in stride with grace
and resiliency,” Maggi said. “The
Komen grant that provided the
funds is used for women and men
diagnosed with breast cancer.
Together we completed a brief
application; it takes very little time
but has a large impact for those
that need it.”
The Cancer Patient Support
Fund was established by the
Kootenai Health Foundation to
help local cancer patients and
their families pay for daily living
expenses while undergoing
treatment.
“Receiving these grants allowed
us to catch up on bills while my
husband was between jobs,” Cindy
said. “I am so thankful to live here
and have access to the level of care
that’s available. Everyone has been
so kind and helpful. The billing
department has helped to combine
some of my bills and work on a
plan to pay over time.”
G I V I N G B A C K
Today Cindy is able to manage her
cancer with daily medication and
gets regular screenings to monitor
potential tumor growth.
She plans to attend this
year’s Race for the Cure for the
first time since her diagnosis.
“My daughter has participated
in the race for the past two years; I
wasn’t feeling well enough to join
her last year,” Cindy said. “But this
year I’m hoping to walk with her
and give back a little to all of those
who have supported me.”
D O N A T E T O T H E C A N C E R
P A T I E N T S U P P O R T F U N D
Contact the Kootenai Health
Foundation at (208) 625-4438 or visit
for more information.
SUPPORT LOCAL
CANCER PATIENTS
You can help support local cancer patients like Cindy Fabianski
by attending these upcoming events. Be sure to visit the
Kootenai Clinic booth to learn more about our services and
ways to support patients and their families.
Chicks ’n Chaps
Friday, August 28
1 to 5:30 p.m. at the North
Idaho Fairgrounds
Join us for the seventh annual
women-only rodeo clinic. Proceeds
will benefit the Fair Foundation
and Kootenai Health Foundation.
Learn more and register at
.
Race for the Cure
Sunday, September 20
9 a.m. at North Idaho
College
Learn more and
register for the 10K,
5K or 1-mile events at
.
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