Even though she was diagnosed four years ago with incurable cancer, 51-year-old Mary Burford continues to live in her own home in Santa Fe and is able to take care of herself alone — most of the time.

But it's those other times, during unpredictable episodes of sudden, severe hemorrhaging brought on by the cancer, when not having someone around can mean almost certain death.

Burford found herself having one of those life-threatening episodes about a year ago. Thanks to people who gave her vital care, with financial assistance from the Empty Stocking Fund, she's still around to express her gratitude.

At the time, Burford had no health insurance. A writer and film lover whose last job was at the Center for Contemporary Arts, she could not afford private insurance. The arts center didn't provide employee insurance for her position, and she is too young for Medicare. "I fell through the crack," she said of the health-care system.

Unable to work, Burford has met expenses since her diagnosis by relying on loans — borrowing against her home — and friends who help pay for caregivers or serve as caregivers themselves. She no longer has major medical expenses because she discontinued treatment after being told her condition would not improve with medical intervention.

Burford receives weekly check-in visits from hospice nurses but has to arrange for private in-home care when emergencies arise, she said.

All this means that, in November 2007, when faced with a sudden episode of severe hemorrhaging, she had no choice but to call professional caregivers. "I was desperate," she said. "My friends were all out of town, or they were too scared to help."

The caregivers pulled her through the crisis, but she had no way to pay them or to pay an outstanding medical bill. Embarrassed to reach out to strangers, she did so anyway, applying to the Empty Stocking Fund for assistance.

"They were very helpful," she said of Roberta Duran and the other staff at Presbyterian Medical Services, which along with the Salvation Army, processes Empty Stocking applications. The fund paid a total of about $900 to professional caregivers and for the medical bill.

Then, less than two weeks after seeking Empty Stocking assistance, Burford found herself calling Duran again, this time to ask for help removing two tall spruce trees that had fallen in her yard during a wind storm. One of the trees fell on power lines, which were sparking and threatening her house with fire until the power was shut off.

Duran made calls on Burford's behalf, and The New Mexican, in its Empty Stocking column, put out a request for a volunteer to cut up and remove the trees.

As it turned out, no one stepped forward as quickly as electric company officials required, and Burford had to pay to have someone cut up the trees. But soon afterward, a volunteer answered the Empty Stocking's call and removed massive amounts of wood from her yard.

A year later, Burford's health situation remains tenuous, and she could require emergency in-home care again at any time. She recently was accepted for New Mexico State Coverage Insurance, which allows her to have checkups with an oncologist but does not cover in-home care.

Burford still owes about $14,000 for caregivers who have helped her since her diagnosis. No longer able to borrow money against her home, she is concerned about losing it if the mortgage company decides to call in her loans.

If another crisis arises with her health, she cannot apply again to the Empty Stocking Fund, which is set up to provide assistance on a one-time basis. "If my friends run out of energy," she said, "I have no idea what I'll do."

Still, she has dreams she hopes to see realized.

"I've got plays and films to see, poetry to read and my play to finish writing," she said, even though her condition for some time has prevented her from writing. "Also, my son is an actor in New York, and I have to be here when he comes home at Christmas."

For now, Burford is happy to be alive and thankful to the Empty Stocking Fund and her friends who have helped keep her here for a while longer. "I really believe that if you try to help everyone communally, it comes back to you," she said.