Overview of Gillian Kline's Story
This episode of Hidden Brain’s My Unsung Hero features Jillian Kline sharing how an HR benefits colleague, Alex Mackey, became her unexpected lifesaver after Jillian was diagnosed with breast cancer at 28—just months before her wedding. Facing immediate decisions about insurance and overwhelmed by medical bureaucracy and treatment, Jillian reached out to Alex during her workplace’s open enrollment window. Alex provided both practical advocacy and consistent emotional support throughout Jillian’s cancer journey.
Key events and timeline
- 2015: Jillian, age 28, is diagnosed with breast cancer a few months before her wedding.
- The day after diagnosis happens to be the last day of open enrollment at her workplace; she contacts Alex Mackey in HR about benefits.
- Alex enrolls her in the right plan, connects her with a health advocate, and remains actively involved—reviewing bills, joining calls, and providing support through treatment milestones (head shaving, wig fitting, chemo days).
- Jillian notes Alex found billing errors (miscoding, overcharges, double charges) and taught her not to pay the first bill because it’s often incorrect.
- Jillian reflects that Alex’s emotional intelligence and consistent care transformed her understanding of kindness. She recently marked the 10‑year anniversary since her diagnosis.
How Alex helped — concrete actions
- Ensured Jillian was enrolled in the most appropriate insurance plan during open enrollment.
- Connected Jillian with a health advocate through the insurer.
- Sat in on every phone call related to care and billing.
- Reviewed medical bills and identified miscoding, overbillings, and duplicate charges.
- Advised postponing payment on initial bills until they’re verified.
- Provided hands‑on emotional support: care packages, presence at wig fitting and head shaving, and timely, empathetic messages on chemo days.
Main takeaways and lessons
- Workplace HR can play a critical, tangible role in medical crises—beyond routine administrative tasks.
- Practical advocacy (insurance navigation, bill review, using health advocates) can prevent financial harm and relieve huge stress.
- Emotional intelligence and small, consistent gestures (texts, presence, care packages) are as crucial as practical help.
- Don’t assume the first medical bill is accurate—verify charges and use advocates.
- Being kind is distinct from being merely nice: meaningful help requires attention, initiative, and responsiveness.
Notable quotes
- Alex (reassuring Jillian): “Don’t worry about a thing. I’ll make sure you’re enrolled in the right plan. Don’t think about this again.”
- Jillian’s reflection on kindness: “Before cancer, I used to confuse being nice with being kind... Alex showed emotional intelligence that astounded me.”
Practical action items for listeners
- During open enrollment, double‑check plan coverage if you anticipate major medical needs.
- Ask your insurer about a health advocate or case manager.
- Keep a trusted person involved in billing and calls; have someone review initial bills for errors.
- Offer concrete help to people in crisis—administrative support can be as life‑changing as emotional support.
Listener call-to-action from the show
Hidden Brain invites listeners to submit three‑minute (or shorter) audio stories about an unsung hero who showed unusual generosity. Record and email entries to myunsunghero@hiddenbrain.org.