Breast Cancer and Rent, Utilities, and Bills: Real Stories of Housing Stability Support in DeKalb and Fulton Counties

Last year, we got a call that we won’t forget anytime soon. A mom from DeKalb County was sobbing on the other end of the line. She’d just finished her second round of chemo, couldn’t work, and her landlord had posted an eviction notice on her door. She had two kids and nowhere to go.

This is the reality we see every single day at I Will Survive, Inc. When you’re fighting breast cancer, the medical bills are just the beginning. Rent doesn’t stop. The power company doesn’t care that you’re too sick to work. And your kids still need a roof over their heads.

The Housing Crisis Nobody Talks About

Here’s something that doesn’t get enough attention: housing instability is one of the biggest threats facing breast cancer patients in Atlanta. We’re not just talking about missing one month’s rent. We’re talking about families losing their homes, their stability, and their ability to focus on healing.

In DeKalb and Fulton Counties alone, we’ve seen this crisis play out hundreds of times. A diagnosis hits, treatment starts, work hours get cut or disappear completely, and suddenly you’re choosing between buying groceries or paying the electric bill.

The statistics are brutal, but the stories behind them are even harder to hear.

What Happens When the Bills Pile Up

Let me walk you through what typically happens after a breast cancer diagnosis in our community:

Week 1-4: Shock, appointments, biopsies, and trying to figure out treatment plans. Most people are still working or have some savings cushion.

Month 2-3: Chemo starts. Fatigue hits hard. Missing work becomes unavoidable. The first bills start arriving, co-pays, prescriptions, parking fees at treatment centers.

Month 4-6: Savings are gone. Credit cards are maxed. The rent is late. Utility companies send warning notices. The panic sets in.

This isn’t a hypothetical timeline. This is what we see over and over again across DeKalb and Fulton Counties.

Real Stories from Our Community

Maria’s Story: A Decatur Mom Who Almost Lost Everything

Maria worked as a teacher’s aide in Decatur when she was diagnosed at 42. Single mom, two teenage boys, renting a small apartment near her job. The first three months of treatment wiped out her emergency fund. By month four, she was $2,400 behind on rent.

She came to us through a referral from a health system social worker. We were able to work with her to cover two months of her rent and her overdue electric bill. That $2,800 kept her family housed and her Georgia Power on while she finished treatment.

Today, Maria’s cancer-free and back at work. But she’ll tell you straight up, without that housing assistance, she would’ve been evicted. Her boys would’ve been uprooted from their school. Everything would’ve fallen apart.

James’ Journey: When Male Breast Cancer Hits Home

Yeah, men get breast cancer too. James, a truck driver from East Point, learned this the hard way at 56. His diagnosis came with a double punch, not only was he dealing with a disease most people think only affects women, but his income disappeared overnight.

Truck drivers don’t get paid time off. No driving means no paycheck. Within six weeks, James was facing foreclosure on the small house in Fulton County he’d owned for 15 years.

Through our Financial Freedom for Fighters Program and partnerships with local resources, we helped James catch up on his mortgage payments. We’re talking about $4,200 that saved his home. That’s not just money, that’s his entire life, his equity, his stability.

The Ripple Effect of Housing Stability

When we keep someone housed during cancer treatment, we’re doing so much more than just paying a bill. Here’s what housing stability actually provides:

• Reduced stress levels: Not wondering where you’ll sleep helps you heal
• Consistent treatment: You’re more likely to make all your appointments when you’re not dealing with homelessness
• Better outcomes: Studies show housing-stable patients have better recovery rates
• Family protection: Kids stay in their schools, maintain their friendships, and have routine
• Dignity: There’s profound healing in knowing you still have a home

Why DeKalb and Fulton Counties Need More Support

The cost of living in metro Atlanta isn’t getting any cheaper. According to recent data, the average rent in DeKalb County sits around $1,400-$1,700 per month. In Fulton County, especially closer to Atlanta proper, you’re looking at $1,600-$2,200 or more.

Now imagine trying to pay that when you can’t work for 4-6 months during treatment. Even with some disability coverage or family support, most people can’t bridge that gap.

This is where breast cancer awareness organizations in Atlanta become lifelines, not just awareness campaigns. We’re literally preventing homelessness, one family at a time.

Resources Available Right Now

If you or someone you love is facing housing instability during breast cancer treatment in DeKalb or Fulton Counties, here are real resources that can help today:

Atlanta Cancer Care Foundation provides emergency financial assistance directly toward rent, mortgage payments, and utility bills for cancer patients across metro Atlanta. They serve both DeKalb and Fulton Counties and can help with groceries, transportation, and medications too.

I Will Survive, Inc.’s Financial Freedom for Fighters Program offers direct bill-pay support to keep families housed and utilities on. We work specifically with breast cancer survivors and their families throughout the Atlanta area.

American Cancer Society Hope Lodge in Decatur provides temporary housing for patients traveling for treatment. This can be a game-changer if you live far from your treatment center or need a safe place to recover.

Mercy Care’s Breast and Cervical Cancer Program serves both counties and can connect you with additional support services and resources.

Don’t wait until you’re facing eviction to reach out. These programs work best when we can intervene early.

How Your Donation Changes Lives

Here’s the truth about breast cancer awareness donations: they’re only meaningful if they actually help people survive. Pink ribbons are nice, but they don’t pay rent.

When you donate to organizations like ours, here’s what your money actually does:

• $500 covers one month of utilities for a family
• $1,200 pays one month’s rent in many DeKalb County apartments
• $2,500 can catch up someone who’s three months behind on bills
• $5,000 prevents a foreclosure

Every dollar goes directly to keeping families in their homes. That’s not abstract charity, that’s concrete, life-changing support.

What We’ve Learned After Years of This Work

After helping hundreds of families stay housed during breast cancer treatment, we’ve learned some things:

Timing matters. The earlier we can step in, the easier it is to prevent a crisis. One month’s rent is more manageable than six months of back payments.

Housing stability affects everything. Patients with stable housing have better treatment adherence, lower stress markers, and improved outcomes.

It takes a village. No single organization can solve this alone. That’s why we partner with United Way, ARCHI, and others across DeKalb and Fulton Counties.

Prevention is cheaper than crisis intervention. Keeping someone in their home costs less than helping them recover from homelessness.

The Bottom Line

Housing shouldn’t be a privilege reserved for people who don’t get sick. In one of the wealthiest countries in the world, in a thriving city like Atlanta, we can do better than letting breast cancer patients lose their homes.

Every family we keep housed is a victory. Every kid who doesn’t have to switch schools mid-year because mom got cancer is a win. Every patient who can focus on healing instead of where they’ll sleep tonight is what this work is all about.

If you’re struggling right now, please reach out to us at I Will Survive, Inc. We’re here, and we can help connect you with resources in DeKalb and Fulton Counties.

And if you’re reading this because you want to help, consider making a breast cancer awareness donation to organizations doing this critical work. Your support literally keeps families together and housed during the hardest time of their lives.

Need housing assistance during breast cancer treatment? Contact I Will Survive, Inc. today. We serve families throughout metro Atlanta, including DeKalb and Fulton Counties. Visit iwillsurviveinc.org or call us to learn about our Financial Freedom for Fighters Program. You don’t have to face this alone.