“I’m the last person anyone expected to get cancer,” says Medi-Share member April Nitzsche. As a personal trainer and owner of two workout facilities, April has always prioritized health and wellness. But the past year in April’s life has proven that no one is immune to a serious diagnosis.
April and her family joined Medi-Share over eight years ago, after having been dropped by one traditional health insurance company and informed of a significant rate increase by a second company. The Nitzsches were told that due to unhealthy statistics in their home state, everyone would be getting a large premium increase.
“I was very upset by that,” April says. “Here I am a fitness professional. Our claims were zero. And my rates were going to go up because of others in my state.”
As small business owners, she and her husband were responsible for their own healthcare choices, so they had the freedom to explore other options. They heard about Medi-Share on the radio and decided to look into it further. It turned out that their costs with Medi-Share were expected to be about a third of what they were paying for health insurance, and it was as good or better.
For many years, the Nitzsches shared faithfully and were blessed with excellent health and very few medical bills that needed to be shared. April says they’ve never even had the flu!
But on September 1, 2023, everything changed; April found out that she had breast cancer. Upon diagnosis, she communicated with Medi-Share’s Member Services team. “From the very first phone call, the team member prayed with me,” April says. “That meant a lot.”
It’s been a long year of treatment. Between October 2023 and January 2024, April underwent chemotherapy. In February, she had a double mastectomy. Over the summer, she had her first reconstruction surgery, with a final surgery scheduled for this December. In addition, she’s in the process of a year-long infusion regimen.
“Every step of the way, Medi-Share has been there,” April says. After each stage of treatment, a member of the care team would follow up and inquire about next steps. “It’s been a blessing and stress relief. I can call anytime, and they’ll answer questions. They’ve truly been on my side.”
April especially appreciates how easy it’s been to have her medical bills shared. She’s a part of a local breast cancer support group, and multiple women in the group have shared stories of having to fight with their health insurance companies for basic treatment coverage.
“Going through cancer is very, very difficult, and you don’t need added stress,” April says. “I’ve had nothing but pleasant experiences with Medi-Share. Everything has gone so smoothly.”
The Nitzsches’ positive interactions with Medi-Share have prompted them to refer others to our community, especially small business owners. April even referred her brother to Medi-Share a few years ago, and his family has enjoyed the advantages of sharing through a torn ACL injury.
April considers it her life’s calling to encourage and motivate others, and as such, she offers a final bit of advice for fellow members. Throughout her cancer treatment, April continued to work and live her life as normally as possible – a blessing that she attributes partially to her good muscle density prior to diagnosis. She encourages everyone: “Take care of yourself. When the storm comes – and it will come – you need to be prepared, physically and spiritually.”
We’re so grateful that April is on the road to recovery, and we’re blessed to have the Nitzsche family as a part of our Medi-Share community.
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