July 14th, 2009
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False hopes or a reason to believe in yourself
This is a copy of a letter I sent to Good Morning America July 14th 2009.
Dear GMA,
I have been a fan for years. This year has been more important than ever. The American
reports showed me and the rest of the world there are people out there who still care.
On January 20th 2009 I was diagnosed with Vulver cancer. Each morning I watched your
show and saw how people would band together and help each other. I watched you guys go
from town to town and sleep over at different families houses to get a true feel of what was
going on. When you gave the baby stuff to the new parents to be I cried. That was so sweet.
After being diagnosed with cancer I at times felt sorry for myself. I like I guess most people
would do tried the easy way out. I thought if I wrote letters to famous people on TV they would
help. I wrote letters to you, Ellen DeGenerous, Dolly Parton, Paula Dean,
Montel Williams, Regis and Kelly, and a hole host of other people.
I watched Joel Osteen religiously no pun intended. I had been a loyal viewer long before the
cancer diagnosis. I held in faith that God would answer my prayers and someone would help
me.
As the months went by and my finances got progressively worse my faith never wavered. I
just knew someone would step in and save me. Dolly and Paula took the time to write back.
Even though they could not help they wrote back. Ellen had the stimulus program going on and
I kept the faith my phone would ring. It never did.
I had a job before I got sick so I was able to keep my insurance. I also had short term disability
and that provided me with a check of $189.88 per week. Far short of what I was use to
bringing home but, it was money.
Prior to my diagnosis my income had already started to decline. I was a sales consultant for a
GM car dealership. My house payment was getting behind. When I called Country Wide and
explained my situation they refused to help me. They stated I did not have enough income to
do a repayment program.
So now not only am I fighting to save my life, dealing with the fatigue of the chemo and
radiation treatments I do not have time to heal. My nights are spent thinking about where I am
going to live, how I am going to move and where my animals are going to go. Rather than
concentrating on getting better I am working harder now than I was in any job I ever had.
My house went into foreclosure and was scheduled for action on Tuesday May 5th 2009. Prior
to this I contacted an attorney to see if bankruptcy would help. I could not get an appointment
with him until the Friday before the sale date so I had already started looking at rental
property. I started selling my personal belongings and giving my dogs away. I finally gave in
and realized no one was going to help me.
My first ray of sunshine came after speaking to this attorney. He was able to stop the
foreclosure and I did not have to move. I had a place to come home to after my surgery which
was scheduled for May 28th.
After posting my personal possessions online I realized the power of the internet. That is
when it hit me.
I realized how many other people where in the same situation I was in. I had to do something.
So, instead of waiting for someone to help me I decided to help others.
I started looking for groups and organizations that could help. I had first hand experience with
a few so I thought who knows maybe others don’t know they can get help to. I started just
locally. Then I started adding state after state until I added every state in the United States.
I have received quite a few letters thanking me for the information. Even though I did not have
the money to help I helped in my own way.
When I was first diagnosed the people I worked with took up a collection. That was totally
unexpected and truly appreciated. After that no one cared.
The cancer was malignant. I did have surgery and for now they think they have gotten it all.
The operation was life altering. I felt sorry for myself for a while but, realized there are other
people out there who have worse situations. I need to help. Even though the re-coop time was
6 to 8 weeks I again pushed myself to do what I could to help others. I knew every minute I
was laying in that bed not producing information another family was loosing there house,
having their lights turned off or worse a child going hungry.
Even though no one stepped up to help me it did not stop me from stepping up to help others.
My faith hasn’t wavered and I have never asked God why me? I still believe things happen for a
reason. I do know I would have never created this website unless I had gotten sick. I do know
I would not have dug so deep and learned so much about myself had someone helped me.
My life is still far from being put back together like it was. I still hang my cloths out on the back
porch, am waiting for the doctors to let me go back to work, and thank God each day that I am
still alive.
In my case it is not only American, it is I can. I made a difference against all odds.
Brenda Lee Castels
This is a copy of a letter I sent to Good Morning America July 14th 2009.
Dear GMA,
I have been a fan for years. This year has been more important than ever. The American
reports showed me and the rest of the world there are people out there who still care.
On January 20th 2009 I was diagnosed with Vulver cancer. Each morning I watched your
show and saw how people would band together and help each other. I watched you guys go
from town to town and sleep over at different families houses to get a true feel of what was
going on. When you gave the baby stuff to the new parents to be I cried. That was so sweet.
After being diagnosed with cancer I at times felt sorry for myself. I like I guess most people
would do tried the easy way out. I thought if I wrote letters to famous people on TV they would
help. I wrote letters to you, Ellen DeGenerous, Dolly Parton, Paula Dean,
Montel Williams, Regis and Kelly, and a hole host of other people.
I watched Joel Osteen religiously no pun intended. I had been a loyal viewer long before the
cancer diagnosis. I held in faith that God would answer my prayers and someone would help
me.
As the months went by and my finances got progressively worse my faith never wavered. I
just knew someone would step in and save me. Dolly and Paula took the time to write back.
Even though they could not help they wrote back. Ellen had the stimulus program going on and
I kept the faith my phone would ring. It never did.
I had a job before I got sick so I was able to keep my insurance. I also had short term disability
and that provided me with a check of $189.88 per week. Far short of what I was use to
bringing home but, it was money.
Prior to my diagnosis my income had already started to decline. I was a sales consultant for a
GM car dealership. My house payment was getting behind. When I called Country Wide and
explained my situation they refused to help me. They stated I did not have enough income to
do a repayment program.
So now not only am I fighting to save my life, dealing with the fatigue of the chemo and
radiation treatments I do not have time to heal. My nights are spent thinking about where I am
going to live, how I am going to move and where my animals are going to go. Rather than
concentrating on getting better I am working harder now than I was in any job I ever had.
My house went into foreclosure and was scheduled for action on Tuesday May 5th 2009. Prior
to this I contacted an attorney to see if bankruptcy would help. I could not get an appointment
with him until the Friday before the sale date so I had already started looking at rental
property. I started selling my personal belongings and giving my dogs away. I finally gave in
and realized no one was going to help me.
My first ray of sunshine came after speaking to this attorney. He was able to stop the
foreclosure and I did not have to move. I had a place to come home to after my surgery which
was scheduled for May 28th.
After posting my personal possessions online I realized the power of the internet. That is
when it hit me.
I realized how many other people where in the same situation I was in. I had to do something.
So, instead of waiting for someone to help me I decided to help others.
I started looking for groups and organizations that could help. I had first hand experience with
a few so I thought who knows maybe others don’t know they can get help to. I started just
locally. Then I started adding state after state until I added every state in the United States.
I have received quite a few letters thanking me for the information. Even though I did not have
the money to help I helped in my own way.
When I was first diagnosed the people I worked with took up a collection. That was totally
unexpected and truly appreciated. After that no one cared.
The cancer was malignant. I did have surgery and for now they think they have gotten it all.
The operation was life altering. I felt sorry for myself for a while but, realized there are other
people out there who have worse situations. I need to help. Even though the re-coop time was
6 to 8 weeks I again pushed myself to do what I could to help others. I knew every minute I
was laying in that bed not producing information another family was loosing there house,
having their lights turned off or worse a child going hungry.
Even though no one stepped up to help me it did not stop me from stepping up to help others.
My faith hasn’t wavered and I have never asked God why me? I still believe things happen for a
reason. I do know I would have never created this website unless I had gotten sick. I do know
I would not have dug so deep and learned so much about myself had someone helped me.
My life is still far from being put back together like it was. I still hang my cloths out on the back
porch, am waiting for the doctors to let me go back to work, and thank God each day that I am
still alive.
In my case it is not only American, it is I can. I made a difference against all odds.
Brenda Lee Castels
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