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Palate reconstruction surgery for Kennedy: covering what insurance won't

Kennedy needs palate reconstruction surgery at San Francisco General Hospital and the family is $5,000 short of the hospital's estimate.

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Kennedy Pickett
Email verifiedDriver licence verified
San Francisco
In August I was diagnosed with an aortic valve defect. My surgeon at San Francisco General Hospital recommended palate reconstruction surgery, and I have been placed on the schedule for October. The hospital's financial office gave me a written estimate of $7,250, and after what the public health scheme will pay, I'm still $5,000 short. Doctors at San Francisco General Hospital told me an aortic valve defect will get worse without palate reconstruction surgery. I work as a taxi driver, and I have saved what I can, but the estimate of $7,250 is far beyond what I've. Until the surgery I can't work full days, and my hours as a taxi driver have already been cut. Every week of waiting means more pain and a bigger risk. Recovery is expected to take about 3 weeks. I'll not be able to work a full shift during that time, so this has become a financial emergency as well as a medical one. I'll pay the hospital and pharmacy directly and post every receipt in the updates section. Where the $5,000 goes: • Physiotherapy sessions: $790 • Surgeon and anesthesia fees: $3,950 • Post-operative medication: $260 I hope life is good to you. - Kennedy
due date
2026-10-03
bill type
Hospital invoice

Updates from Kennedy

  1. Quick update: $1,735 raised so far (35%). I met with the hospital and confirmed the amounts. Receipts coming as soon as I have them.

  2. Small update. $1,021 so far, I made the first payment toward physiotherapy sessions.

  3. Good news. Because of your gifts ($511 in total) the first invoice got paid this week. Still a way to go but it feels less lonely.

  • Tiffany C. Caldwell 🇺🇸 · $250
  • Alyssa Chen 🇬🇧 · $100
  • Omar Rami Mansour 🇪🇬 · $100
  • Megumi Rin Tamura 🇯🇵 · $100
  • Cheikh Moussa Ndiaye 🇫🇷 · $100
  • Florence Mercy Ngowi 🇰🇪 · $75

    “Blessings. Only $75 but hope it helps. - Thika”

  • Mykola Taras Kuznetsov 🇷🇺 · $75
  • Anonymous 🇦🇷 · $68
  • Everett Patel 🇺🇸 · $58
  • Kajal K. Ranade 🇮🇳 · $58
  • Saowaluk Wongsawat 🇹🇭 · $58
  • Gabriella Schmidt 🇬🇧 · $50
  • Zuzanna Julia Stępień 🇵🇱 · $50
  • Gabriel S. Flores 🇪🇸 · $50
  • Abhishek B. Soni 🇮🇳 · $50

    “Rooting for you. Thought of Kennedy all day after reading this. - Lucknow”

  • Aria N. Rodriguez 🇺🇸 · $50
  • Susana J. Fernández 🇨🇴 · $50
  • Murilo Felipe Alves 🇧🇷 · $50
  • Anonymous 🇮🇳 · $49.50
  • Adhiambo Nabirye Massawe 🇰🇪 · $43

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  • Wishing you peace, Kennedy. Everyone deserves a bit of help sometimes. The breakdown of costs made it easy to trust.

    • Wishing you the best, Kennedy. Hope the treatment goes smoothly and recovery is quick. We're a small family in San Antonio but we're thinking of you

      • Thinking of you, Kennedy. Gave what I could, wish it was more.

        • best of luck. Hope the treatment goes smoothly and recovery is quick. We lost years of savings to something like this so I get it

          • Stay strong, Kennedy. Shared this with my family. Please keep us posted. Thinking of San Francisco.

            $2,368 raised of $5,000

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