Dublin Mom Fundraises For Cancer Treatment Not Covered By Insurance

DUBLIN, CA — A Dublin mother with breast cancer is trying to raise funds for cryoablation, a lesser-known, minimally-invasive treatment that is not covered by her insurance.

Shanty Gupta, a 36-year-old mother of a three-year-old and one-year-old, was diagnosed with breast cancer in March. She eventually found out about cryoablation, a new treatment that freezes and destroys cancer cells. While studies suggest that cryoablation can be safe and effective for some early-stage breast cancer patients, it hasn’t yet been widely adopted as a standard treatment.

In many plans, including some private insurers, cryoablation is already covered for prostate and kidney cancers under certain circumstances, but coverage for breast cancer is mostly unavailable.

“Once I learned that cryoablation is less invasive with similar success rates, I felt strongly that this could be the best first option for me,” Gupta said. “As a young mom, being able to recover quickly and continue being present for my children is incredibly important.”

Gupta and her husband have launched a GoFundMe page that aims to raise $50,000 as soon as possible so that she can afford the treatment she feels is best for her.

“I’m hoping to raise the funds as soon as possible, because the earlier I can start treatment, the better my chances. If I can’t raise enough, I may be forced to undergo more invasive treatments, which would be much harder on me and my family,” she said. “At the end of the day, my biggest motivation is my children.”