Bambi Holt thought beating cancer would be the hardest thing she’d ever face. Just when she had returned to work, life threw her another challenge.

• The Patient Care Technician at HCA Florida Fort Walton-Destin Hospital spent six months last year fighting for her life. When she was diagnosed with cancer, the 25-year certified nursing assistant stepped away from the job she loved to focus on treatment.

“When I found out that I had cancer last year, of course, I thought it was the end of the world,” Holt said.

But she wasn’t alone. Her employer’s Hope Fund program helped her stay afloat financially during treatment, and colleagues kept in touch throughout her recovery.

• “They were there. They offered all kinds of support. Even during the six months I was off, they continuously texted me and helped me. I was able to catch back up on all of my bills,” she said.

After beating cancer and returning to work, Holt finally felt like life was returning to normal. Then, in August, everything changed again.

While visiting her mother, Holt received the call no homeowner wants to hear: her Fort Walton Beach apartment was on fire. By the time she arrived, firefighters were battling the blaze.

“When I got here, they were fighting the fire, and I immediately got out and told them that I had a cat inside, but she didn’t make it,” Holt said. “Due to the fire and the smoke, we weren’t able to save anything.”

Everything was gone.

“I beat cancer, and I thought that was the hardest battle of my life. I was just getting back to normal, going back to work, and then I came home one day and I’ve lost everything,” she said.

The loss was overwhelming. Without clothes, uniforms, or even shoes, Holt didn’t know how she’d return to work. When she called her manager to explain the situation, the response was immediate.

“She said, ‘Bambi, don’t worry. We are here,'” Holt recalled. Her manager ordered new uniforms, asked about her shoe size and whether she had groceries, and helped her apply for Hope Fund assistance for the second time in a year.

“I feel like I’m not alone,” Holt said.

The Hope Fund, established by HCA Healthcare to help employees navigate unexpected hardships, has supported more than 50,000 colleagues nationwide. For Holt, it’s been a lifeline twice over — proof that her workplace family means what they say.

“Someone that has nowhere else to turn to knows that the Hope Fund is there, and it just gives you hope that there’s good people out there and that the company that you work for is there for you,” she said. “I know that this is my forever job. Whether I stay here or move somewhere else, it will be with HCA Healthcare.”

Now, as Holt and her husband work to rebuild their lives, a GoFundMe campaign has been established to help the couple recover from the devastating loss.