An oncologist from Arkansas just gave nearly 200 cancer patients the gift of a lifetime when he forgive $650,000 worth of medical debt for them.

Dr. Omar Atiq had founded the Arkansas Cancer Institute back in 1991, but it unfortunately had to close in 2020 due to staffing shortages. Last week, the clinic sent out a note to patients that none of them will ever forget.

“I hope this note finds you well,” the note read. “The Arkansas Cancer Clinic was proud to serve you as a patient. Although various health insurances pay most of the bills for majority of patients, even the deductibles and co-pays can be burdensome. Unfortunately, that is the way our health care system currently works.

“Arkansas Cancer Clinic is closing its practice after over 29 years of dedicated service to the community,” it continued. “The clinic has decided to forego all balances owed to the clinic by its patients. Happy Holidays.”

Atiq spoke out to explain that he knows 2020 was a difficult year for everyone, and it brings him joy to give his patients a financial boost.

“Over time I realized that there are people who just are unable to pay,” Atiq said. “So my wife and I, as a family, we thought about it and looked at forgiving all the debt. We saw that we could do it and then just went ahead and did it.”

The doctor went on to further explain his reasoning behind this good deed.

“Since I started practicing, I’ve always been rather uncomfortable with sick patients not only having to worry about their own health and quality of life and their longevity and their families and their jobs but also money,” he said. “That’s always tugged at me. You add to it the absolute devastation that the [coronavirus] pandemic has wrought, and you think thank God that we’re fairly comfortable and this was something we could at least do to help the community.”

“I saw patients over the years who just didn’t have anything or who went bankrupt trying to pay for their treatment,” he said. “In many ways it seems like a totally unfair situation. Being sick is hard, having cancer is harder, and having cancer in this pandemic is devastating.”

Atiq added that the bills totaled $650,000, and they have now been wiped clean.

“I love them, I care for them, and I am glad I was able to do a little bit at this point for them,” he said. “I just hope that it made it a little bit easier for them. That’s it. I just hope that it gave them a little sigh of relief and made it easier for them so they could face other challenges they may be facing in their lives.”

This piece originally appeared in UpliftingToday.com and is used by permission.

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