Heather Lyon lives in Morris, Illinois, a small community nestled in the heart of the Midwest. At only 39 her story is one of pain, resilience and advocacy.
Read Heather’s storyAustin and his wife returned to the US in 2023 after spending nearly eight years living abroad in South Korea. One of their first concerns: what are we going to do about health care?
Read Austin’s storyTaylor Moss, a medical student at Touro University, is passionate about her career as a future provider. She is also a Medicaid beneficiary who is extremely worried about losing access to her coverage. Not only is she worried about her own health care, but she is also concerned for her future patients.
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In 2017, Tomeka James Isaac was pregnant with her first and only son, Jace. At 40 years old, she was told early on that she would be at high risk for pre-eclampsia, yet despite this ominous warning, Tomeka’s pregnancy was progressing smoothly. Until, at her 35-week appointment, complications began.
Read Tomeka’s storyKea had a plan. Pregnant with her first child, she knew she wanted a natural birth, and she wanted her birth experience to be an experience that was unique to her. However, she felt dismissed by doctors when she made requests, and ignored at appointments. Kea switched to a birth center, and everything changed for the better.
Read Kea’s storyTamara's 18 month old grandson fell ill with a slight cough and signs mirroring COVID-19, but was not tested by his pediatrician. After his oxygen levels dropped, he was taken to the ER but was still not tested for COVID-19 due to not meeting testing criteria.
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Stefanie Ebnal, one of the thousands of nurses and health care workers on the front lines of the Providence hospital nurses strike in Portland, OR did not start her career as a nurse. Instead, she began in pharmaceutical research, following a scientific path—but never truly feeling connected to the work.
Read Stefanie’s storyBob Parant has been living with type 1 diabetes for over 52 years. Diagnosed at 19 during what he calls the "dark ages" of diabetes care, Bob's journey has been one of perseverance, adaptation, and advocacy. At the time, diabetes management was rudimentary—urine testing provided little insight into actual blood sugar levels, and treatment relied on a strict diet and a single daily insulin injection.
Read Bob’s storyWhen Ben Los’s 5-year-old son started experiencing seizures, they fought to get him the best care they could within their insurance network. Fast forward to two months after their hospital visit, their family received a bill for $2,518, a large portion of which was labeled as a facility fee.
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