How a Non-Profit is Cutting Out Cancer’s Complications

Last June, Darven Norris left his new job at a start up early because of severe stomach pains. He needed a doctor’s note for his sick day, so he went Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital for an exam. There, 31-year-old Norris was diagnosed with Stage 3 colon cancer. He would need surgery and six months of chemotherapy, but his insurance would not kick in until September–three months later.

Norris scheduled his chemotherapy accordingly. But, when he shared his diagnosis with his boss, he was let go because the small company could not afford its insurance premium to rise.

“They felt sorry for me because they knew what I was going through,” Norris said. “That wasn’t something that they wanted.”

While undergoing chemotherapy, Norris couldn’t find work and was paying for his treatment and living expenses through savings and loans. He didn’t know how he was going to pay rent or help support his 5-year-old son, Evan.

Three months into his treatment, Norris was sitting at Texas Oncology in the middle of his treatment when Jackeline Castillo approached him.

Castillo, cancer resource specialist for Cancer Support Community North Texas, was directed to Norris through a nurse practitioner. She understands how difficult cancer can be on a person’s sense of normalcy.

“People don’t realize how time consuming it is,” Castillo said.

With eight years of social work experience, Castillo came into the role with the experience and the compassion needed to help people in the overwhelming cancer process.

“When I see the relief on people’s faces, it gives me satisfaction that I helped a little bit, and I made it a little less stressful for them,” she said.

Castillo works with patients by filtering through both community and national resources to pinpoint organizations that can provide support.

“It is kind of getting creative with it and seeing what resources are available,” Castillo said.

Castillo helped Norris with financial obstacles such as finding temporary rent assistance with the DAM-CANCER Foundation.

“I was so stressed almost every day figuring out how I was going to pay my bills,” Norris said. “It really was just a huge relief once I was able to get some help.”

With the ability to focus on his treatment, Norris is now cancer free.

The North Texas organization, which has been serving the region for almost 15 years, offers ranging programs at its clubhouse like one-on-one dialogues with health professionals, support groups, dinners, lectures, exercise classes, and children’s activities for its 3,500 members and their respective support systems.

Cancer Support Community North Texas CEO Mirchelle Louis said she connected with how the international organization empowered its members.

“You can’t ever normalize a cancer diagnosis. But, if you are in an environment where people are going through this, it makes you realize you aren’t the only one.”

The organization’s members are “not victims of the disease and not battling the disease of cancer but having to live with the impact of the disease regardless of the outcome,” Louis said.

People can come in and use the facilities for whatever they may need. To become a member, individuals just need to come to a new member meeting and have a one-on-one meeting with a health professional, and they become a part of this support community as an active member.

“You can’t ever normalize a cancer diagnosis, “ Louis said. “But, if you are in an environment where people are going through this, it makes you realize you aren’t the only one.”

Even if there is not a clubhouse near you, Cancer Support Community’s international organization provides information and resources online.

“If you are impacted by cancer, you do not have to do this alone,” Louis said. “You don’t need to go through this alone.”