Supporting Dawn through her cancer journey

Video transcript

[Music playing in the background throughout the video]

[Dawn on the playground, playing with her grandkids]

DAWN: Grandkids are the best.

[Dawn holding her grandson and speaking to him]

Hi, sweetie.

[DAWN SPEAKING ON SCREEN]

Rush is the little guy who was born after I was diagnosed with cancer.

[Dawn on the playground, watching her grandchildren the slide]

[Girls squealing down the slide]

[Dawn walking down the street with a dog and a man]

They called and said that not only had they found cancer, but it's mantle cell lymphoma, which is rare.

[On-Screen Text – Dawn UnitedHealthcare Member]

It's aggressive.

[Dawn in her bathroom, sorting through her prescriptions]

It was a very, very hard treatment. I ended up being in the hospital for 37 days. I lost my ability to speak, to write, to basically move. So it was very, very scary.

[Dawn at home, tying her shoes, riding an exercise bike]

I'm now six months post-transplant, or getting my cells back. The cancer specialists are amazing, and it continues to amaze me, the breadth of resources.

[Dawn sitting on a porch petting her dog and chatting with a man]

I did get calls from UnitedHealthcare. They asked if I needed anything. They offered cancer support services, made sure that I was aware of my over-the-counter benefit and just all the things that I could take advantage of. So I was very happy with the speed at which they processed things, as well as the support. And the approvals, the quick approvals, which in my case, when my cancer got very aggressive, that quick approvals were really important.

[Dawn at the playground with her family, pushing her grandchildren on the swing set]

I always knew that UnitedHealthcare was going to be there. The quality of cancer care that I received and the quick approvals, saved my life.

[Dawn’s grandchild climbing a play structure wall and Dawn encouraging her]

One more step.

[Dawn with her grandchild at the water feature of the playground]

Grandma's always there when the little ones are born. So to think that I might not have been, would have been really hard.

[Dawn and Rush on camera]

And thankfully, I'm here now to hold him.

[On-Screen Text – UHC, uhc.com, Benefits, features and/or devices may vary by plan/area. Limitations, exclusions and/or network restrictions may apply.Y0066_2992417_251028_M]

When Dawn retired after 35 years in her career, she looked forward to traveling, biking and spending time with her growing family. She and her partner, Merle, split their time between Minnesota and Florida, taking in every bit of the freedom that retirement offered.

Then life changed. Shortly after a routine knee replacement, Dawn noticed a lump under her arm. She thought it might be related to her knee surgery, but it turned out to be mantle cell lymphoma — a rare and aggressive form of cancer.

“I remember thinking, this happens to other people, not me,” Dawn said. “But once I had my diagnosis, I focused on what to do next.”

Her care team moved quickly. With help from her UnitedHealthcare plan, Dawn was able to see top cancer specialists in her state and begin treatment right away. She appreciated how quickly her care was approved and how seamless it was to move between providers and hospitals when her treatment plan changed.

“The speed of approvals saved my life,” she said. “I never had to fight for coverage. I always knew UnitedHealthcare was going to be there.”

Dawn also connected with Cancer Support Services and the Leukemia & Lymphoma Society for added resources. UnitedHealthcare team members checked in often, making sure she had access to benefits like her over-the-counter medication allowance and fitness programs through Renew Active®.

After months of chemotherapy and a cutting-edge immunotherapy treatment, Dawn’s cancer went into remission. Her doctors now expect her to enjoy a long remission — and she’s back to enjoying life again.

“Today I’m healthy and planning trips again,” Dawn said. “Best of all, I get to spend time with my grandkids. That’s what matters most.”

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