Local Health Care Reform Activists to March the Final Mile of Melanie’s March in Washington, D.C.

Pennsylvania health reform activists are descending on Washington, D.C. today to deliver a message to Congress that we cannot wait any longer for meaningful health reform.

Activists are headed to D.C. to join a small but hardy group that began a march from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. eight days ago to make the case for health reform.

The 135-mile march is in honor of one health reform advocate who recently lost her battle with breast cancer after her insurance company refused to pay for treatment her doctors said she needed. Melanie Shouse was a tireless campaigner for health care reform, and marchers are bringing Melanie’s message to Congress that not one more American should have to suffer or die for lack of health care.

The “March to the Finish Line for Melanie” is bringing the marchers - and supporters expected to number in the hundreds — to Washington the day before President Obama’s Bipartisan Health Care Summit. They will tell lawmakers that enough is enough! It’s time to get health care reform done and to get it done right.

The final "Mile March" will begin at Union Station in Washington today at noon, followed by a 2 p.m. rally with Senators at Dirksen Senate Office Building, northeast of the Capitol at Constitution Ave. & First St. NE, Washington, D.C. If you are in the D.C. area, please join us.

You can follow the ups and downs of the marchers' eight-day journey at the web site www.melaniesmarch.com, including dispatches from the road, photos, videos and health care stories that the marchers will be bringing to Congress.

The eight-day march is being supported by Pennsylvania citizens and activists from Health Care For America Now, Families USA, SEIU, Catholics United, The AME Church, Health Rights Organizing Project, Interfaith Worker Justice, National Physicians Alliance, Pennsylvania Health Access Network, Philadelphia Unemployment Project, UFCW, Raising Women’s Voices, and other organizations.