Jeanette Oxelson (Photo Courtesy of Sandy Puc)

This week’s Boulder Weekly’s cover story focuses on how Colorado is falling behind in its treatment in women with breast and cervical cancer. The story features Jeanette Oxelson and her journey of being diagnosed with breast cancer without insurance. The story features an especially harrowing detail:

And although Jeanette should have met the income and residency requirements to get assistance from Medicaid for her breast cancer treatment, it turned out that she had made one mistake: she walked through the wrong door in her search for a diagnosis. That’s because in Colorado, where you get a diagnosis for cervical cancer or breast cancer determines your eligibility for Medicaid.

Walk through the wrong door, and you fall through the cracks.

As we’ve stated previously, a new report finds Colorado is among the most restrictive states for access to medicaid for women with breast and cervical cancer. The Susan G. Komen for the Cure Denver Affiliate works hard to ensure treatment for women whose insurance doesn’t cover the treatment. You can help us help women like Jeanette by purchasing a breast cancer license plate where a $25 fee will go towards closing the gap between insurance and treatment needs. You can also donate to Susan G. Komen Denver Affiliate or join Race for the Cure, where 25 percent of the money raised went towards treatment.

You can also read Jeanette Oxelson’s electronic journal, “The Odyssey and the Apathy”, at Boulder Weekly.