Help Young Expat Hit with Stage 4 Cancer

[webfact]

 

 

On February 8, 2022, Sam Cooledge (Son of Sandra and Steve Ramsey, brother of Chris Cooledge) learned that his life had been completely turned upside down. A simple MRI for a strained neck discovered multiple tumors in his brain as well as his lungs. He was quickly diagnosed with stage 4 brain and lung cancer. He is facing an estimated $240,000 total in medical costs over the next 36 months for outpatient care and the medicine that will help him defeat the cancer.

 

Sam is taking this situation on exactly how he has taken on other challenges to his 36-year life: He will overcome and crush it. Sam overcame drug addiction in 2010 and has spent the last 12 years sober. Over this time, he has sponsored and mentored many individuals and has built an incredible network of friends. While in recovery, Sam put himself through college and became a programmer for a ground-breaking addiction recovery technology firm, WEconnect. In mid-2019, Sam moved to Thailand to fulfill a dream of living and working abroad. He became a Product Manager for a multinational software firm. He is living happily in Thailand with his wonderful girlfriend, his friends, and a blossoming career.

 

Although facing a diagnosis of cancer is incredibly challenging, a strong medical game plan is in place. Sam has an excellent medical team that has created a treatment strategy through a blend of ground-breaking targeted therapy, along with the latest radiation technology.

 

The financial road ahead is hard and we are asking for your support to help Sam to get through this incredibly challenging time.

 

Since $240,000 is a daunting amount to raise at one time, we are breaking that figure into 3 phases.

 

The initial goal for phase 1 is $80,000 by April 30, 2022.

Phase 2 begins May 1, 2022, and the goal of $80,000 is needed by July 30, 2022

Phase 3 goal is $80,000 and runs from August 1, 2022 until October 31, 2022

 

We believe we can raise the entire amount needed for Sam by November 1, 2022.

 

Your direct donation to Sam will help pay for:

 

- Radiation treatment for existing brain cancer cells (one month of treatment)

- Immunotherapy for lung cancer treatment (at least two years of treatment)

- Outpatient therapy and treatment

- Continued neurological observation, analysis, and treatment

- Preventative cardiological procedures and care

- Continued MRI, EEG testing, PET/CT scans, and x-rays

- Psychiatric appointments

- Physical Therapy

- Continued prescription medication management

- Regular appointments and consultations with his team of oncologists, cardiologists, psychiatrists, physical therapists, radiation technicians, and pain management specialists.

 

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Full story: https://www.gofundme.com/f/gofundsam-in-his-fight-to-crush-cancer

 

-- © Copyright Go Fund Me 2022-03-16

 

- Aetna offers a range of visa-compliant plans that meet the minimum requirement of medical treatment, including COVID-19, up to THB 3m. For more information on all expat health insurance plans click here.

 

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[TooMuchTime]

Chipped in.

[Ralf001]

His insurance not cover it ?

[jerrymahoney]

14 minutes ago, Ralf001 said:

His insurance not cover it ?

From GoFundMe page:

 

The cost of medical care is significantly less in Thailand than it would be in the U.S., however, the Thai insurance system does not cover cancer treatments. Sam is facing an extraordinary challenge with medical bills as he gets very little support from his Thai health insurance.

[darrenr]

How does Thai insurance not cover cancer treatment ?

[jacko45k]

4 minutes ago, darrenr said:

How does Thai insurance not cover cancer treatment ?

I can only believe if it was a pre-existing condition when the policy was taken out. For a relatively young man this is surprising. 

[jerrymahoney]

From the GoFundMe page:

 

In mid-2019, Sam moved to Thailand to fulfill a dream of living and working abroad. He became a Product Manager for a multinational software firm - Nimble. He is living happily in Thailand with his wonderful girlfriend, his friends, and a blossoming career.

 

From the Nimble 'recruitment' page:

 

WHY WORK WITH US
A SELECTION OF WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER:

 

 Private Medical Insurance & Social Welfare

 

https://jobs.nimblehq.co/?source=nimblehq.co

Edited March 15, 2022 by jerrymahoney

[champers]

Their bread was rubbish.

[wombat]

13 minutes ago, jerrymahoney said:

 

 

From the Nimble 'recruitment' page:

 

WHY WORK WITH US
A SELECTION OF WHAT WE HAVE TO OFFER:

 

 Private Medical Insurance & Social Welfare

 

https://jobs.nimblehq.co/?source=nimblehq.co

Multinational company?

They have advertised they should pay

[roo860]

7 minutes ago, champers said:

Their bread was rubbish.

Was like eating cotton wool. 

[Ralf001]

2 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

From GoFundMe page:

 

The cost of medical care is significantly less in Thailand than it would be in the U.S., however, the Thai insurance system does not cover cancer treatments. Sam is facing an extraordinary challenge with medical bills as he gets very little support from his Thai health insurance.

He's working so will have social security which give him free/cheap access to government hospitals, they certainly do treat cancer as a friends (Thai) mother is currently under going treatment.

[OneMoreFarang]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Over this time, he has sponsored and mentored many individuals and has built an incredible network of friends.

Is there any information how much his "incredible network of friends" donated already? 

He needs initially 80k$, that should be no problem at all for such a network.

[Dutchjohn]

Luckily, he has built an incredible network of friends.

[jerrymahoney]

1. There are several computer-related firms named 'Nimble' operating in Thailand.

 

2. In 6 days the GoFundMe page shows $60,000 contributed of the first phase goal of $80,000

[Ralf001]

12 minutes ago, OneMoreFarang said:

Is there any information how much his "incredible network of friends" donated already? 

He needs initially 80k$, that should be no problem at all for such a network.

$60,900 according to the go fund me page.

[mtls2005]

Strikes me as odd that a mate would be in a hospital, bed-side to a cancer patient without a mask.

 

 

 

[Etaoin Shrdlu]

Thai medical insurance policies don't typically exclude treatment for cancer.

 

A proper employer-provided group medical insurance program would not necessarily exclude pre-existing conditions.

 

If he was legally working for a Thai company and paying into the Social Security system, his treatment should be covered by SS at the designated hospital.

 

There must be more to this.

 

 

 

 

[2long]

I'm not an oncologist, but 'defeating Stage 4 cancer' seems like a bit of an ask.

[BKKBike09]

Perhaps it's my age, but "Young Expat" to me would be a kid, a teen or at most in early 20s. But 36?

[XJPSX]

My insurance covers me for cancer as I have been treated and cured here in Thailand. 
If I didn’t have coverage I would fly home and get treated there.

I feel for the sick but am continually amazed at how many people don’t get fully insured when in Thailand. 
Fortunately my work covers the $3500 bill each year as well as the mandatory group company insurance  , but I would pay it myself if they did t as I take full responsibility for myself.

Not enough here do and then look to go fund me pages.

[hotchilli]

2 hours ago, darrenr said:

How does Thai insurance not cover cancer treatment ?

Scam.... insurance.

[NobbyClarke]

I have to wonder if his mate in the picture is Nigerian!?

70,000 raised already anyway and I am sure the figure will increase regardless.

The company and his own insurance should be helping. If he is legally in Thailand there shouldn't be a problem.

I can only think he wants 5 star private hospital for the duration of his treatment.

I hope he gets well and beats the disease as he did with the drugs 

More info to come on this story.

[Henryford]

2 hours ago, darrenr said:

How does Thai insurance not cover cancer treatment ?

Thai medical insurance only covers being by a meteorite on a leap year.

[bbko]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Son of Sandra and Steve Ramsey, brother of Chris Cooledge

Are we supposed to know who these people are?  Are they famous?  Why not use the 60k to get a medical flight home?

Edited March 16, 2022 by bbko

[mtls2005]

3 minutes ago, bbko said:

Are we supposed to know who these people are?  Are they famous?

 

That opening was written in the style of an obit.

 

I assume gofundhim vets these things so this is legit? Nice of the forum here to pitch in on the effort.

 

 

 

 

[Iamfalang]

Acquaintance……broke

friend…….broke

network of friends…..broke

incredible network of friends……billionaires 

 

I would never call a poor person my friend, glad Thaivisa members realize incredible must mean rich

[CharlieH]

Sad and unlucky, naturally I hope he gets the help he needs.That said, what makes him any more needy than the other patients in that hospital or any other for that matter, because he got publicity?

 

 

 

 

[CM Dad]

1 hour ago, Ralf001 said:

He's working so will have social security which give him free/cheap access to government hospitals, they certainly do treat cancer as a friends (Thai) mother is currently under going treatment.

Thai social security insurance is only available for those who are working if their employer has applied for it.  It must be initiated by the employer and then offered to employees.  Even then, it is not given to all employees, which should be the case, but sadly isn't.  The insurance industry in Thailand is a money-making racket for insurance companies.  It is poorly supervised and regulated.

[Lacessit]

Treatment for Stage 1 cancers is usually successful. There does not appear to be any information on the odds of successfully treating this person's Stage 4 cancer, FAIK he may only have a 10% chance of survival. Which means the $240,000 could be a total waste of money.

In his shoes, I'd be asking for a happy pill and exit.

[JoePai]

3 hours ago, jerrymahoney said:

From GoFundMe page:

 

The cost of medical care is significantly less in Thailand than it would be in the U.S., however, the Thai insurance system does not cover cancer treatments. Sam is facing an extraordinary challenge with medical bills as he gets very little support from his Thai health insurance.

Nonsense, it covered my cancer