Health Care Stories

Stories are powerful. They help people understand complex policy issues, move the emotions, and create the will to act. Often a story is much more effective than an argument in persuading policy-makers and other opinion leaders.

Have you struggled to get the health care you need? Has a member of your family?

Submit your own story.

Jennifer H. from Pittsburgh

Jennifer H. is a direct care worker who is just 21 years old and has cancer. She was diagnosed in late 2007. Hearing the “C” word is devastating to anyone but hit Jennifer extra hard because she is so young.

Karen G. from Washington, PA

Karen Goroncy, a home health aide, comes to Larry Smith's small apartment three times a day. She bathes and dresses him in the morning, prepares his breakfast and helps him into his wheelchair.

Smith, 28, who has cerebral palsy, does data entry for a nearby doctor's office from 9 to 1. Goroncy returns to make Smith lunch, and again at night to put him to bed. "Without Shorty," says Smith, using one of his nicknames for her, "I'd be stuck in bed. I couldn't work."

Goroncy, who earns $10.30 an hour, has a hernia from lifting clients like Smith for 25 years. She is 51.

Melva W. from Media

I am a divorced mother of three girls and a grandmother of two. I turn 52 in January. Some of you may find that too young to be a grandmother, but I am lucky I can actually run with my grandchildren. I have a few gray hair in my head. I haven’t decided if I will dye my hair when I have more then 10 or leave it alone. I love how mixed gray looks on other people so I can’t wait to see myself like this one day. I am the face of direct-care workers.

Carol M. in Vicksburg, PA:

I am a self employed direct care worker and do not have any health insurance.

I have a pre-existing condition and therefore have been rejected from almost every insurance I apply to.

I have a file of rejection letters. There was one company who would accept me for $1,500 per month as long as none of my medical expenses could be related to my pre-existing condition-fibromyalgia.

As a direct care worker, that was out of the question and in my opinion, a form of discrimination.