BAKERSFIELD, Calif. (KERO) — When Roberto Temblador's daughter found out about a virtual health fair that was held by CSF Surgery, she told her father about the organization and what they could do for him. Now Roberto is on the road to recovery thanks to their help.
“It was the 17th of January of this year that CSF Surgery recommended a clinic to take a colonoscopy. That’s when they told me on January 17 that I had colon cancer,” said CSF Surgery patient Roberto Temblador.
After finding out that he was diagnosed with colon cancer Roberto Temblador says he was worried about the cost of the surgery that he needed.
His wife Sara says the cost of the surgery was estimated at $120,000 but CSF Surgery covered ninety percent of the procedure bringing the price down to $12,000.
“They recommended surgery with a doctor who did the surgery. Once he got out of surgery, I felt better. Even today, as of right now, I still feel much more positive. I see him, and he looks much better. We’re in a better place than we were when this started,” said Sara Gonzalez.
Now after his successful surgery Temblador is doing better, but is still going through chemotherapy and radiation treatments for one more week.
“Right now, I have 24-hour chemotherapy. In a week I will be taken off of chemotherapy as well as radiation. For now, I wait for them to give me a CT scan to make sure I'm cancer free,” said Temblador.
One of the reasons that Temblador struggled financially was because the cancer was preventing him from working causing him to lose his job, but CSF Surgery stepped in to help.
“Roberto, his priority was his family until he lost his job and he needed to take care of himself. We put everything, all the efforts that we have in our hands to help patients like Roberto,” said CSF Surgery Patient Advocate Supervisor Patricia Lico.
Temblador says that when he found out about CSF Surgery it gave him hope, and he says it can give other people hope too.
“I recommend that those who notice a change in their health, body get seen as soon as possible so they don’t have to go through what I am,” said Temblador.
