Thursday, September 13, 2012

I'M A MEMBER

Recently, I became a member of "Team Brilliant", an effort to raise money for John Ptak, the husband of author Patti Digh. John had to undergo some surgery for kidney cancer and unfortunately did not have health insurance. A group was formed to raise $100,000 in 37 days and they did it...they raised that much money and more. It just goes to show you what people can do when they really set their minds to something.

Patti Digh has a blog that is titled "37 days" and that is why they chose that number. You can Google her and find out all about her. She has written many books including the one that I know best "Life is a Verb". I am proud to be a member of "Team Brilliant". John and Patti seem to be going about life-as-usual and have their same great senses of humor. I guess it is all in the attitude, isn't it!!

When I last looked the total was $102,270. Isn't that incredible? But what is sad is that they had to go about this kind of fund-raising in the first place. Where are we as a nation when someone has to go into surgery knowing that they do not have health insurance? Isn't it bad enough having to face the bad news of a diagnosis of carcinoma without the stress of worrying about where the money will come from? No one in our country should go without insurance or the ability to have a surgery if needed. No one. Yet, there are people who want to abolish Obama care. For what reason? I am flabbergasted, gobsmacked, and every other word I can't think of right now as to why Obama care seems like a bad idea to some. Oh well. Hopefully, if one of "them" has to have a much-needed surgery, they will have the resources available to them to raised over $100,000 in 37 days. They might not have the same sense of humor though. Or "Team Brilliant"!

2 comments:

  1. ugh on the health insurance issues we face...and not having insurance...very cool though how people can band together to over come though...

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  2. this is inspiring. i hate to say it, but j would be in the same boat if he were diagnosed — though i think he would opt for alternative therapy that wouldn't be covered anyway...

    here in ma we are lucky enough to have "romney care" which is basically obama care that romney thought was a great idea when he came up with it back when he was our governor and not running for president. i'm on it and pay nothing because of my sad work situation at the moment. j falls through the cracks because his income is up and down constantly and he hates paperwork - so he is fined at the end of the year when he pays taxes. this is definitely one of the drawbacks of the program for anyone who is self-employed or seasonally employed. but otherwise i think it's fantastic!

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