#2354: NCUF's 'Side Effects' Documentary to Reveal the Financial Crises of Cancer in America...

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Watch the 6:24 clip above and/or check out the entire episode below the show notes.

Whether it is health, financial, or emotional, nearly all of us have been touched by cancer in some way. Not only is the disease a constant crises in America, the financial side of it is, as well -- which can just as easily crush lives. People go bankrupt, lose jobs -- or take on two or three more to compensate, just to keep up with the medical bills. Insurance doesn't cover it all.

So what's the connection with credit unions? Like we've seen in 2020 and in so many years past, credit unions are there for people -- crises or not. Helping people when they have nowhere else to go is in the credit union wheelhouse. Helping fight the financial crises of cancer in America is no different.

Bringing this issue to light is none other than the National Credit Union Foundation. In particular, the Foundation's Executive Director Gigi Hyland and author, speaker, photographer, videographer Andy Janning have teamed up to share people's stories nationwide (17 states and 10,000 miles traveled) who have been impacted by the financial fallout of cancer. It's a story that needs to be told and a story that needs to be supported by credit unions. It's a documentary called "Side Effects."

What you get in this interview is as transparent and passionate as I have seen in Gigi and Andy. This is truly a passion project for them, as they reveal further into the talk. Here are some sobering numbers they share:

"...there is a profound and deafening silence in this country about the financial crisis of cancer: the $75,000 emergency surgeries, $8,000 chemo treatments, $3,000 injections, prescription co- pays, and untold thousands more in unexpected out-of-pocket expenses necessary just to keep the lights on and loved ones fed..."

"...this avalanche buries cancer patients and their families under a mountain of debt from which they’ll never escape, and makes them nearly 3 times more likely to declare bankruptcy."

Having lost both my parents to cancer, I was honored to speak with Gigi and Andy and help spread the word about this project -- which will most definitely changes lives. Check out the interview and let us know your thoughts, as well as how you can help.

Watch the entire episode below for all the details. And visit CUinsight for Andy's write up on "Side Effects," where he shares Elizabeth's story -- a sampling of more to come through short films, photography, essays, and audio storytelling. Stay tuned for more updates on "Side Effects" in the coming weeks, as it is scheduled to air in early 2021.