US cancer patient’s last wish raises over $22 million aimed at clearing others’ medical debt
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Ms Casey McIntyre is survived by her husband Andrew Gregory and their 18-month-old daughter.
PHOTO: CASEYRMCINTYRE/X
An American woman who died of ovarian cancer has helped to raise more than US$17million (S$22.85 million) to pay off the medical debts of others.
Ms Casey McIntyre, who was 38 when she died on Nov 12, arranged for social media posts asking followers to donate to her cause to be posted after her death, reported US media outlets.
In a Nov 15 post on X, formerly known as Twitter, Ms McIntyre said: “If you’re reading this it means I have passed away… The cause was stage four ovarian cancer.
“To celebrate my life, I’ve arranged to buy up others’ medical debt and then destroy the debt.”
As at Nov 18, Ms McIntyre and her family have raised more than US$170,000 with charity organisation RIP Medical Debt.
The non-profit organisation, which aims to abolish medical debt, pays off a dollar for every penny that is donated. This means Ms McIntyre’s campaign has erased US$17million in unpaid medical bills.
As many as 100 million Americans struggle with medical debt, according to estimates from health research non-profit KFF, reported BBC.
In her post on X, Ms McIntyre said she was lucky to have had access to the best medical care at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center, a hospital in New York City.
“(I) am keenly aware that so many in our country don’t have access to good care,” she added.
Before her death, Ms McIntyre spent five months in home hospice in US states Virginia, Rhode Island and New York while being surrounded by family and friends.
In a post shared on Instagram, her family included a note that a memorial service and debt jubilee in Ms McIntyre’s honour will take place in December at a park in New York City.
Ms McIntyre, a book publisher, started treatment for ovarian cancer in 2019 but succumbed to it on Nov 12. According to BBC, she is survived by her husband, Andrew Gregory, and their 18-month-old daughter.
In an Instagram post, Mr Gregory said his late wife’s generous wit, easy laugh and astonishing determination were some of her best traits.
He added: “Casey’s determination served her well after her devastating diagnosis.
“We love you, we miss you, you are gone, you are with us, we will be looking for you everywhere.”
