Casey McIntyre was a bright and lively 38-year-old book publisher from New York City who had a big heart and a brave spirit. She faced the harsh reality of ovarian cancer with a remarkable plan to make a positive difference in the world.
She was born on February 1, 1985, in Upper Manhattan and grew up in Tenafly, New Jersey. She attended Agnes Scott College in Georgia and married Gregory in 2015. In 2019, she was diagnosed with stage 3 ovarian cancer while trying to conceive through in vitro fertilization. She underwent major surgery in January 2020 but didn’t lose hope. After all, she realized how strong women can be when facing tough situations.
She was blessed with a baby girl, Grace, in April 2022, who became her joy and pride. She was known for her knowledge of the best bodegas and celebrity hangout restaurants, but her best qualities were her humor, laughter, loyalty to family and friends, and her amazing determination.
She started her treatment for ovarian cancer in 2019 and spent about three months in the hospital. She had a hard time with her health, but got an unexpected gift of six more months of life after she was moved to a home hospice.
With the time she had left, she made careful arrangements. Besides sharing on social media, she penned letters to her 18-month-old daughter, Grace, and arranged her own memorial service. She referred to her last five months in home hospice care as a “bonus summer” with Gregory. Despite her health struggles, she didn’t miss out on beach outings and cherished moments with her family, including their daughter.
Even in her last week, when her health got worse, she stayed positive. She didn’t think of her life as “sad,” but as full of joy from her family, friends, and the life she dreamed of with her husband. Gregory, looking back on his wife’s happiness, finds beauty in how she continued her good and happy life through a campaign she started.
Casey McIntyre wanted her friends and family to hear about her death from her and in her own way, according to her husband. She got her wish on November 14, 2023, when a message was posted on her Twitter account saying she had died.
In the heartfelt message, she said sorry for the sad news and thanked everyone for their love. Her last request was to help others with their medical debt by donating to the charity RIP Medical Debt. She knew she was lucky to have access to the best medical care, but she also knew that many people in the country didn’t have that. She had gone through many treatments, like chemotherapy, surgeries, and experimental immunotherapies.
After her husband shared the news on Casey’s Twitter, the campaign quickly reached its $20,000 goal. By Friday afternoon, it had raised about $140,000, which could wipe out around $14 million in medical debt.
The lack of a universal healthcare system in the U.S. makes healthcare debt a huge problem for many people. Casey’s story went viral in the media, and it made more people donate to RIP Medical Debt.
According to the nonprofit’s website, every $100 raised helps wipe out $10,000 in medical debt. That means that her goal of $150,000 in donations could clear $15 million in unpaid bills for others. A Kaiser Family Foundation survey from last year showed that a quarter of American adults with healthcare debt owe more than $5,000.
Casey McIntyre’s legacy goes way beyond her own fight with ovarian cancer. Her kind act of using the money raised in her honor to help others with their medical debt shows a huge heart and a lot of empathy. Many people are touched by her story, which proves the lasting power of compassion. She reminds us that even when we face hard times, we can still make a positive difference in the world.