As a nurse, Mary Ann worked 40 hours a week--and overtime whenever she could. She always paid her bills on time and helped take care of her extended family. Then she was diagnosed with breast cancer.

After months off work for surgeries and treatments and living on a meager short-term disability income, Mary Ann was overwhelmed with overdue bills, a mound of new medical bills and the expense of seven prescriptions.

She applied to several assistance programs, but was rejected due to her income. Then a friend told Mary Ann about the St. Vincent de Paul Charitable Pharmacy. Without the Charitable Pharmacy, Mary Ann said, “I don’t know what I would do. My bills simply exceeded my pay.”

When she was finally approved for Medicaid, some of the generic medications covered by Medicaid did not react well with other prescriptions so she came back to St. Vincent de Paul until that can be adjusted. “Hopefully I won’t need St. Vincent much longer,” said Mary Ann.