The posthumous, viral campaign has raised over $1.1 million to date to erase medical debt in honor of beloved mother, wife and friend Casey McIntyre 

New York, NY – December 17, 2024 – Almost a year after an initial $44 million of medical debt was relieved leveraging funds from the McIntyre Jubilee—an ongoing fundraiser to support those burdened by medical debts they cannot pay—Casey’s family is proud to share that another $75,437,194 of medical debt is being erased for 72,320 people in time for the holidays. 

Letters, in Undue Medical Debt branded envelopes, informing recipients of debt relief will arrive over the course of the holiday season.   

Casey Ryan McIntyre, 38, beloved mother, wife, sister, daughter, niece, and aunt died on November 12th, 2023, from ovarian cancer. As Publisher at Razorbill, an imprint of Penguin Random House, she derived great joy from publishing books for a new generation of readers and saw herself in every child sprawled out on a couch, rug, or bunk bed engrossed in their latest book obsession. 

As she entered hospice, Casey still thought about others in need; those who, unlike her, didn’t have quality health insurance and couldn’t take the financial risk of engaging with the healthcare system or already bore the financial and emotional scars of unpayable medical debt. 

And so, on her personal account on X, Casey and her husband Andrew Rose Gregory, launched a fundraiser for Undue Medical Debt in the wake of her passing. Casey shared, “a note to my friends: if you’re reading this I have passed away. I’m so sorry, it’s horseshit and we both know it. The cause was stage four ovarian cancer. I loved each and every one of you with my whole heart and I promise you, I knew how deeply I was loved.” 

Those who received letters in the first wave of debt relief shared: 

“In 2019, I was diagnosed with a relentless autoimmune disease called axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). The news was crushing, but I have a family to care for. On this journey I have had numerous tests, hospital stays, and medications. Although I try to stay on top of my costs with a full-time job… some bills cannot be paid as quickly as they come up with this disease.  I [discovered] yesterday that one of these tests is going to cost a good amount of money. Knowing my options are canceling [appointments] or collections, it’s hard putting my health first. Today, I read my letter stating one of my medical debts had been paid [and] I’m extremely grateful. I feel a little less helpless on this journey because of this organization. In honor of Casey and her family, our family thanks you!” 

Taylor, CT 

“I am so grateful and thankful for my debt relief! [This means] that I no longer owe a medical bill that has been on my credit. I had to get stitches on my finger in 2019 and this bill has been haunting me ever since. I would like to say thank you to Casey Mclntyre and her husband for helping people who are in need. God Bless you [and] thank you for your love, generosity, and kindness! You are truly appreciated. And thank you Undue Medical Debt for making this possible! You guys are helping people in so many ways. Society and humanity need more people and organizations like you! Thank you again for helping and creating a way to help people who are truly struggling. I think this organization is setting an example of how we can help others in so many ways. I think this can have a big impact on the healthcare system and make a great difference in our world.” 

Anonymous

Andrew shares, “It continues to bring Casey’s family and me comfort that in her death, she inspired such an enormous outpouring of donations to Undue Medical Debt, giving folks across America the chance to get free of their medical debt. Casey deeply believed that medical debt and the healthcare system that creates it are immoral, unnecessary blights on American society. May we live to see an America in which people are treated as patients rather than profit, an America in which healthcare debt no longer exists.” 

Undue Medical Debt is a national nonprofit that purchases medical debts in bundled portfolios for pennies on the dollar (one dollar donated, on average, relieves $100 of medical debt) and then erases it for individuals who are burdened with medical debt. Criteria for relief are those who are four times (400%) or below the federal poverty level or for whom medical debt is 5% or more of their annual income. 

This round of debt relief is benefiting those in the tri-state area of New York, New Jersey and Connecticut (where Casey, Andrew and their daughter Grace have made their home), Georgia (where Casey went to college) and finally benefiting individuals across the country with an especially high debt burden (those with medical debts of over $10,000).  

This campaign is ongoing for those who wish to donate in Casey’s honor: https://unduemedicaldebt.org/campaign/andrewrosegregory-47569/ 

As more qualifying medical debt is acquired in areas of interest to the family, a third round of medical debt relief will be announced in the New Year focused on qualifying residents of NYC.