A Pennsylvania community is rallying around a woman who was fired from her job at
an oral surgeon's office following her diagnosis with cancer.
Carol Jumper, who lives in Hopewell Township,
Pennsylvania, was diagnosed with cancer impacting her pancreas, liver and
ovaries in August.
According to her fiance, Jumper received a letter from her boss, Dr. George Visnich,
in which the oral surgeon said he was laying her off without compensation.
Raging Chicken Press published the letter on Sunday.
"The symptoms of the disease, the pain
medications you will need and the side effects of the chemotherapy will be
significant and distracting,” reads the handwritten note, which bears Visnich's
letterhead. "You will not be able to function in my office at the level
required while battling for your life. Because of this, I am laying you off
without pay as of August 11, 2014."
The letter continues, "Our thoughts and prayers
are with you as you fight this horrible disease.
Thanks for your time at
Visnich Oral Surgery. I hope your battle is swift, smooth, and
successful!"
Smerigan told the Beaver Countian that his fiancee worked for Visnich
for more than 12 years.
"He didn’t even call her, he hasn’t even called
her once since she got sick," Smerigan said.
Visnich's office did not respond to multiple
requests for comment by The Huffington Post.
However, Larry Kelly, an attorney
for Visnich, told the Beaver County Times that the doctor laid off Jumper so unemployment benefits could be claimed, describing the dismissal as a
"humanitarian thing."
"He’s trying to help this woman and he’s made
out to be a villain," Kelly said, claiming that his client wrote the
letter “with the understanding that when she is feeling better, she can come
back to work.”
Current and recovering cancer patients are protected
against job discrimination under the Americans with Disabilities Act so
long as the individual is able to perform the job's essential functions.
Visnich's letter went viral in the area after one of Jumper's friends
posted it on her Facebook page.
Since then, community members have organized a number
of fundraisers on behalf of Jumper, and formed a "Bumpers
Buddies" Facebook page to rally support.
“She’s a good lady, and we’re just doing what we can
to help her out,” John Barkovich, a friend of Jumper's, said.
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