"I lost my grandmother to cancer in 1994. She went without insurance for several years before her Medicare kicked in. As a direct result, her cancer went undetected and untreated. When doctors at University Hospital in St. Louis made the diagnosis, we were told that even with radical radiation and chemotherapy that her chances of survival were slim. The doctors said that if she had been seen sooner, that the outcome could be quite different. She passed away 15 months later. Even after 14 years, her passing still affects my life. She was my guardian while growing up and later became my mentor. I still miss her. Because she did not have access to affordable health care, my life was robbed of her joy too soon. NO FAMILY SHOULD HAVE TO GO THROUGH THIS!"
- Tina, Santa Fe, TX
Story collected by the Susan G. Komen Advocacy Alliance