Jason Bush, a graduate student in Anthropology at CSU, has recently been diagnosed with stage IIIa testicular cancer.  Jason was diagnosed two days before his health insurance coverage began for the fall semester.  Therefore, once his coverage began, the cancer was considered a pre-existing condition and the insurance will not cover doctor’s appointments, chemotherapy treatment, operations, or lab tests associated with the cancer.

Jason was not able to qualify for many federal and state insurance programs, however he did qualify for the Colorado Indigent Care Program (CICP) which will cover only a percentage of the cost of treatment and care while at Poudre Valley Hospital.  There are many appointments, tests, prescriptions, etc. outside of the hospital that are not eligible for coverage.

Jason is an inspirational, upbeat, and love-filled young man.  Even in these difficult times, Jason keeps an open heart and an amazingly positive attitude.  Jason grew up in West Texas, where he developed his love for the outdoors and archaeology.  In between school and life, Jason hiked the entire the Continental Divide Trail from Canada to Mexico, a 3100-mile journey.

Several years of working as an archeologist in Texas inspired Jason to pursue a M.A. in archeology, which lead to a move to Fort Collins for graduate school at CSU.  This past summer Jason completed his archeology thesis research in Lake Patzcuaro, Michoacan, Mexico.  Jason is in the process of writing his thesis and hopes to complete his graduate studies, as initially planned, by May 2010.

Jason is an enthusiastic lover of the outdoors, bikes, and music.  Whether riding on his cruiser strung with red lights or studying at a coffee shop, Jason always has a smile on his face and time for the people around him.

Within the first two months since his diagnosis, Jason’s medical bills already amount to $20,000 with only $15,000 being covered by CICP.  By the end of the initial treatment plan, Jason’s bill is estimated to be at least $120,000.  In addition to mounting medical bills, Jason also has living expenses and no steady source of income.  He is not able to work regularly at his part time job on campus and is using loans and credit cards to make ends meet.

Supporters of Jason around the country are working to raise funds to help Jason with his treatment.  The fund-raising goal of $15,000 will not cover all the medical expenses, but it will greatly help Jason avoid massive debt to pay for his cancer treatment.