Jack Wang embodies the classic hopeful American immigrant story. He came to the United States from China 18 years ago and attended school in Buffalo, studying to become a pharmacist. Soon he met his wife, Annie, also a Chinese immigrant, got married, found a job, bought a fixer-upper house in White Plains with a mortgage, and eventually had a baby. “We came here with nothing, became citizens, and worked our way up,” Jack says. He and his wife love their neighborhood. It’s nice and safe, and they have a bit of space. All was going as planned – until their infant son Daniel was diagnosed with cancer.
Jack and Annie weren’t prepared for such devastating news, emotionally or financially. They had no extended family nearby to help. The Wangs were lucky to have insurance, but not all the costs of treatment were covered. Soon their savings were depleted, forcing them to live paycheck to paycheck. Jack says, “I was struggling because I couldn’t work as much as usual, and it all added up – transportation and hospital bills were enormous expenses.” Eventually, they were behind on the mortgage. So Jack went looking for help and was given a list of agencies and called each one on the list. A caseworker from The Bridge Fund called back and said, “We can help you.”
The Bridge Fund provided counseling and helped pay a portion of the arrears, allowing the family to get back on track with their finances. Staff also advised Mr. Wang of the availability of outside support groups that target services to cancer patients and their caretakers. Now, he is trying to find a balance in his life – working enough to stay afloat, while spending quality time with his son. His wife Annie is training as a pharmacy technician so she can also contribute to the household income. The other good news is that baby Daniel is responding positively to chemotherapy. Thanks to The Bridge Fund, the family has been stabilized in their home and the future is brighter. “It’s the only help we have gotten,” says Jack. “We are so grateful for what they did for us.”
“We were struggling. We went looking for help. A caseworker from The Bridge Fund said, ‘we can help you.’”