Dear Friend,
The good news is I can eat all the ice cream I want.
The bad news is that I recently received a diagnosis of pancreatic cancer and need to gain weight.
As some of you know, to focus on my treatment, I stepped down as the executive director of Community Catalyst in September. I have been in the middle of the fight for equitable access to health care for a very long time and it’s strange to be sitting on the sidelines. At the same time it has provided me with time for reflection.
I am fighting for my health and my quality of life. I want to continue as long as I can to make a contribution and to share time with family and friends. At the same time, I am aware of the odds, and so inevitably I see a future without me, closer than I expected. It deepens my sense of urgency. Quality health care for all won’t happen in my lifetime. I am writing this letter to urge you to do what it takes to make it happen in yours.
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While I’m far from happy about having cancer, I realize that for many reasons I am a lucky man. I have a wonderful support system of family and friends. I work for a great organization that is on the front line of improving the health of all people. I live in a state that has made health care for all a priority and in a city with excellent hospitals and providers.
I’m reminded of how lucky I am every morning when I have my tea. The beautiful cup that I drink from was bought from a friend of the family. His daughter, who lived in Florida, was diagnosed with breast cancer and did not have health insurance. Her brother, a skilled potter, sold sets of these cups to raise money for her care. This was 20 years ago and despite the Affordable Care Act, millions of people in Florida (and many other states) still don’t have health coverage, largely because the state has not expanded Medicaid.
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Every day I reflect on what it would be like if I were fighting cancer without health insurance. It brings back memories of after college working as a surgical orderly at Santa Clara Valley Medical Center in San Jose, a large public hospital. There I saw up close and very personal what it meant to be suffering from cancer without health insurance and adequate resources. To make matters worse the hospital did not have translation services for the largely Spanish speaking patients. The contrast with my current care could not be greater.
This year is Community Catalyst’s 20th anniversary and over these two decades we have seen – and played a significant role in – many tremendous changes in the U.S. health care system. The Affordable Care Act provided consumers with access and protections in health care that had never been offered before. But even those gains are now under threat from the current administration, who prefer to strip the ACA clean, rather than work on its continuous improvement.
So I’m asking you this year to look out at the world I see, with first-class health care for people like me and you, and disgraceful and prohibitively expensive health care for millions across the country. Please dig deeper than ever and give generously to Community Catalyst recognizing as I do that our chance to help others does run out. I may be standing on the sidelines fighting my own health fight, but I’ll be doing so knowing that Community Catalyst is in good hands with fierce supporters like you.
With gratitude,
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