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Lisa's daughter Janelle was 18 years old and engaged to be married when she began experiencing chest pains and black-outs. She went to the doctor several times over a period of months, paying out of her own pocket because she didn't have any health coverage. She was working two jobs but was still unable to afford coverage. She never saw the same doctor or practitioner twice. Each time that she sought help, she was told that she had an infection and was given antibiotics. A week before she died, Janelle asked the practitioner to please do a chest x-ray because she was in so much pain. They turned her down because they said an x-ray would be too expensive without insurance. Janelle offered to pay them back a little each month until the cost of the test was paid for, but the doctor's office still refused.

One week later, Janelle died. Under 'cause of death,' her death certificate simply reads, 'unknown.'

“If Janelle had had health insurance, her doctor would have run every test possible until they found out what was wrong with her. What happened to my daughter should not happen to anyone, especially in a country like the United States. I'm traveling to San Francisco to walk across the Golden Gate Bridge to honor Janelle's memory, and send the message that this can't happen to anyone else. I don't want any more parents or children to suffer as a result of this crisis.” 

Bridge the Gap for health care on June 19th—for Janelle and the people you know who are affected by the health care crisis.

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