From Hidden Brain Media, I'm Shankar Vedantam.

This is My Unsung Hero, stories where one person reached out to help another in a time of need.

My Unsung Hero is my therapist.

I said, it's okay.

I still love you.

You're still my best friend.

So if she hears this, I just want to say, thank you.

Today's story comes from Jillian Klein. In 2015, Jillian was diagnosed with breast cancer.

She was 28 years old and months away from getting married. The very next day, she realized

that it was the last day of open enrollment at her workplace.

Usually, she just let her health insurance roll over.

But now, she suddenly had to decide if her plan would be enough to cover all the expenses

that would come with cancer treatment.

It was all so overwhelming, and I didn't know what I was going to do. I didn't

understand co-pays or deductibles, but I did know that not having the right plan could be devastating.

So I called Alex Mackey, the HR team member in charge of benefits. I didn't know Alex very well at this point.

We were work-friendly, but we weren't close. And yet she was going to be the first person

outside of my parents and my fiance that I was about to tell what was happening. I was not

ready to say the words, I have cancer, but I had no choice.

So I told Alex.

She said, don't worry about a thing.

I'll make sure you're enrolled in the right plan.

...