After losing my nose to cancer, "The Doctors" TV show promised me free surgery/dental care. It's been over a year and they haven't followed through. Ask me anything!

Hi Marisha, thank you for sharing your story. You are very brave. What is the best way to be sure you have the treatment you have been promised? I have already donated to your GoFundMe but I'm sure this isn't enough to cover the medical expenses. Thank you.

Thanks for the support! The most helpful thing is probably to tweet at "The Doctors" and share the videos on social media.

Have you remained in contact with the show or is it one of those "We'll get back to you" type situations?

Well, for a year I was emailing them and reaching out regularly. They kept saying I was supposed to be working things out with the dentist; the dentist's PR person kept saying she was waiting on the show. It was a lot of going in circles and, near the one-year mark (8/23/27), I sent a long email to Christine Mango and the two main producers I'd been in touch with at "The Doctors," basically explaining where I was at -- I'll post part of that here:

“As I mentioned before, I know you said you had finally found a special lab, but at this point the piece that is in now is falling apart. I can’t wait for however much time it would take to make this happen unless it’s immediately. As I do need one right now, critically ASAP. I just want to say I am not angry or anything like that, but I do need to say I am a bit frustrated because last year it was said to me that it was ready, and then it wasn’t even made, to now needing to find alternative plans. I realize it can be difficult making plans, but a year later with no estimate on when it can be done is bit much for my condition and what I was led to believe was happening in a timely fashion for my medical needs. I can’t express how much the current temporary surgical piece is an insufficient and painful fit as it was only meant to be worn 6 to 9 months, and now I have been waiting a year on top of the year I had already been in this piece because I was promised these services. I had every belief it would have happened months ago the way it was laid out. My obturator is my lifeline, literally. One more crack in this one, and it’s done. It was more meaningful than a promise to someone who really needed something to me. I rely on it to speak, eat, drink, talk, and to process saliva. It’s not just a regular denture. I literally can’t survive without one or interact with the world. I honestly don’t think it should have been taking this long to work something out. I know they are special and expensive, but once a place has been procured, the piece itself should only take four weeks to three months at the very most to manufacture and deliver. That is a direct quote from the prosthodontics lab that works here in TN and for most of the surrounding states as well who specialize in dentures and dental prosthetics.

With that being said, I was forced to raise funds from several people in my community for a temporary interim dental prosthesis that, even with the discounts from the prosthodontist, cost almost $4000, not including visits and adjustments in the future that are out-of-pocket. Cancer destroyed my finances too, so I am too poor for the things I need to live, like this for example. I am still making payments while it is being manufactured so I can go home with it when it is ready. In this way, this is a big expense that should have been unnecessary on my part if things has been worked out efficiently between the show and the sponsors who promised the services.

Even though I am getting the intermediate appliance, I must make clear it is only a temporary solution. I will need a definitive obturator after this one has molded for a few months. For that, I would like to be kept in mind and up-to-date with what the lab has said it can do and what kind of timeline we can shoot for on the obturator they would make, as well as when and how we are moving forward with this. For example, something like six months or nine months? That would be okay at this point since I am getting an intermediate, but I do need to know what is going on with it and a reasonable timeline goal we can shoot for to expect going forward to avoid any uncertainty and needless pain on my part. I can’t heal if I always have sores and infections weakening my immune system

I need a clear and succinct idea of what’s happening with this.”

They didn't respond to that, so one month later, I posted on Facebook. The next day is when I got the voicemail message from Christine Mango, and then I got the voicemail from the show producer.

I can't believe they are such assholes. Good luck, and I truly wish you the best.

Have you heard from them since posting the video on YouTube?

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Nope. Both "The Doctors" and True Dentistry have scrubbed all mention of me from their websites, though.

Did you know/see that Jeff Holiday on youtube did a video on this for 99,000 people to get this story out? I'm sure he would be more than willing to help you magnify any message you wanted to get out.

Yes! He reached out to me yesterday to ask if I would be comfortable with him making a video. He's been so kind and compassionate. Everyone should subscribe to his channel :) His video is here https://youtu.be/QoP-BPD3jiw

Google results have multiple gofundme campaigns attached to your name. Is there a correct or preferred one to donate to?

The attorney instructed me to hold off on answering questions at this time, and that is also why some answers have been deleted. I can't thank you all enough for your support or what this means to me. As to your question, there are 2 campaigns attached to my name. One I made in 2014 to help with surgery costs and treatments over the years. I am leaving it open because it is attached to all my Youtube videos, and I have many medical needs I still need support for. Christine Noel, a person who I have gotten to know over the last few months and who is helping me advocate this issue, created a new Gofundme campaign to attach to the website and raise the costs in supporting all the issues with the show and Dr. Joe, a new prosthetic, etc. I hope this helps answer that. This community is truly amazing, and thank you so much!