Our Stories
April wilburne
April Wilburne is from Chicago IL, and has seen the healthcare system fail not only her, but her mother as well. Before her mother's passing, April saw how hard her mother had to advocate for herself to get the care that she needed and deserved. Now, April is facining a similar struggle.
dan noonan
Dan Noonan has lived with severe hemophilia throughout his life. He has experienced firsthand how the for-profit healthcare industry and employer sponsored insurance constraints people living with chronic conditions who use their insurance frequently.
Dr. ayo Maat
Dr. Ayo Maat is an activist who has experienced how difficult it is for someone with multiple conditions to manage our healthcare system. She has worked as an activist fighting for racial and healthcare justice since the Civil Rights Movement, and continues to use her story to advocate for addressing the racism and inequality that underlie our current systems.
Alankrita Siddula
Alankrita Siddula is a medical student from Chicago. Her family immigrated to the United States from India when she was young, and since then, has struggled with the inability to access care through employment. She has seen many cases where the cost of treatement becames the focus of a healthcare emergency, as opposed to the person's wellbeing, and is now working to change that.
Mary Decker
Mary Decker is a retired RN who worked for 15 years as a case manager. During this time, she saw how the for-profit insurance and healthcare industries cause huge problems for patients, and now she is facing her own problems with obtaining quality insurance.
Kendra Harris
Kendra is a community activist from the southside of Chicago. She was working for a social services agency when, like millions of others, lost her employer-sponsored insurance during the pandemic. Even when she was covered, the co-payments were so high it didn't feel like much coverage at all. What good is health insurance if you can't even use it?
Jennifer Briggs
As a licensed clinical social worker, Jennifer knows how much people are struggling during the pandemic. She thinks people should be able to get the help they need, but our health industry doesn't agree. High deductibles -- or having no insurance at all -- makes it nearly impossible for people to get help.
Kathy Powers
When Kathy's mental health clinic closed in 2012, she saw the injustice of the American healthcare system firsthand. Since then, she's been "screaming from the rooftops" for healthcare justice.
edmund hawkins
As a self-employed accountant, ISPC Board Member Ed Hawkins understands the trials and tribulations of accessing "affordable" healthcare. With his high-deductible ACA plan, Ed has the burden of choosing between care and cost.
Susan Frailey Broxham
As a small business owner, Sue understands all too well the burden of healthcare coverage. The ACA exchanges only do so much. Her son, who has a chronic condition, will soon lose his insurance coverage when he turns 26. She worries how he will pay for his care.
Have your own healthcare story to share?
Contact stories@ilsinglepayer.org