Showing posts with label Ogan Gurel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ogan Gurel. Show all posts
Saturday, July 23, 2022
Monday, March 7, 2011
Sunday, March 6, 2011
Wednesday, March 2, 2011
Tuesday, March 1, 2011
Friday, August 28, 2009
Special Thanks to ...
The assistance of the organizational team for the Walk has been incredible: John Moore (Media Coordinator), Kerem Arig (Logistics Coordinator), Heather Meyer (Events and Organizational Coordinator), and Timothy Knauth (Fundraising Coordinator). Without their help, this Walk would not have been possible. Along the way, many have provided generous help and support, including …
- 8/20 Many thanks to Aom Fletcher of Bar Celona in Chicago (and Olivia Patojia) for hosting a great “Share Your Story” event!
- Thanks to Patrick Marshall & Bonnie Bailey of Shell for the $50 gas card. I'm driving back to DC tonight for Thursday's big Healthcare-Now Rally. This will be very helpful.
- 7/26 Many thanks to Mikuak Rai for the warm welcome and organizational support during the last leg of the Walk as I attended the People's Rally he organized in Washington, DC.
- 7/24 – 7/26 Many thanks to Timothy Knauth for his assistance as a ‘support vehicle’ during the last two days of the walk (transporting the bag, shuttling me to walking points, and general support). And thanks also to him for the many wonderful photos and videos during that time. Above all, I thank him for his warm and generous friendship.
- 7/24-7/26 Many thanks to Daniel Kammerer (Executive Director), Togi Mahdere (Front Office Director) and the Doubletree in Bethesda, MD for two nights complimentary stay! Here’s an amazing fact: the banner at the entrance to the Doubletree reads “The Time is Always Right to Do the Right Thing.” It’s a quote from Martin Luther King, Jr. Thank you again to the Doubletree and all the wonderful hotels and people along the way who have made this journey possible!
- 7/23-7/24 Many thanks to Mary Jo of the Days Inn in Frederick, MD for the complimentary one night’s stay.
- 7/23 Many thanks to Amanda of A-1 Sedan & Transportation of Hagerstown (and her friend Tiffany) for helping me bring my bag to Frederick. The ‘other’ Hagerstown cab company wanted to charge $100!
- 7/22-23 Thanks to Matt of the SpringHill Suites Marriott in Hagerstown, MD for one nights at a reduced rate.
- 7/20-7/22 Many thanks to Jim & Josephine Wehling of Bedford for hosting me in their home (two nights)!
- 7/16-7/20 Many thanks to Ryan for shuttling me to and from my walking points and for helping with the bag transport!
- 7/17-19 Thanks to Dawn of the Courtyard Marriott in Greensburg, PA for three nights at a reduced rate.
- 7/16-17 Many thanks to Patty of the Holiday Inn Express in Irwin, PA for the complimentary room!
- 7/16 Thanks to Ryan Trump for helping to transport 'the bag' to the motel in Irwin where pizza was waiting for me, thanks to the Allens of Mansfield, OH!
- 7/15-16 Holiday Inn Express Pittsburgh South Side for the complimentary room. Many thanks to Kevin, Robin, and the rest of the wonderful staff!
- Many thanks to the Allens of Mansfield (Rico & Danelle) for their incredible support in many ways!
- 7/12 Thanks to Gary, manager of Lisbon Dairy Queen, for water, t-shirt, hot dogs!
- 7/13-14 Days Inn, Lisbon, OH. No hotels in WVa beyond Chester. Many thanks Angela for one more night complimentary lodging at the Days Inn. Thanks to Joyce who will be shuttling me back and forth between my walking points.
- 7/11-13 Days Inn, Lisbon, OH. Two nights complimentary lodging. Thank you so much, Angela!
- 7/11 Many thanks to the Canton Inn for one night's complimentary lodging.
- 7/9-11 Motel 6, Mansfield, OH. Two nights complimentary lodging. Thanks so much, Montelle!
- 7/8-7/9 Many thanks to Ms. Felder & Donna Leuthold for making available the Lighthouse shelter accommodation in Bucyrus, OH.
- Many thanks to Geoffrey Knauth for loaning his extra iPhone, arranging for a data/voice plan and FedExing these to the hotel. Having this technology in place (an improved camera phone, GPS capability, etc.) has been a huge benefit to the Walk.
- 7/5-7 Holiday Inn, Lima, OH. Three nights complimentary lodging & meals. Many thanks, Kara & Brad!
- 7/3-4 Fountain Inn, Van Wert, OH. Two nights complimentary lodging. Many thanks to Dee and your lovely family!
- 7/3 Many thanks to Nate Williams for helping to organize a rally in Ft. Wayne welcoming me upon my arrival. It was a wonderful event. Thanks also to Ariana Toth for helping with logistics during my visit.
- 7/3 Many thanks to Andrea Rogers (and Katie Madonna Lee, videographer) of Grass Roots Media, Inc. for providing two days of video filming (7/1 & 7/3) during the Walk. Thanks also to Alex Gutterman for helping to arrange this.
- 7/2 Days Inn, Ft. Wayne, IN one night complimentary lodging. Many thanks, Jayesh and your wonderful staff!
- 7/1 Days Inn, Warsaw, IN one night complimentary lodging. Many thanks, Uprendra! and Shiela
- 6/29 & 6/30 Days Inn, Plymouth, IN two nights complimentary lodging. Many thanks, Jay!
- 6/28 Many thanks to Jackie and the Fairfield Inn & Suites in Valparaiso, IN for complimentary room.
- 6/27 Fairfield Inn & Suites in Hammond, IN for one night at reduced rate
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Documents from the Walk for Healthcare
Read t
he dispatches as well as FAQs and other information about the Walk and follow-on events. These documents are downloadable and have clickable hyperlinks.
- Full compilation of stories
- Stories by State
- Individual Stories
- Media Coverage of the Walk
- Scribd group for the Walk. Includes all documents.
And more ...
- Pictorial navigator On a single-page Scribd document, navigate through the stories by clicking on the pictures.
- FAQs Answers to Frequently-Asked Questions.
- First seven dispatches from the Walk (includes stories & pictures)
- Short version of the stories Only four pages, download the document, print out copies, and bring them to your town hall meetings and share with people and lawmakers!
- Donating to the Walk Helps keep the movement growing!
- Initial Press Release for the 6/27 Chicago Launch
Wednesday, August 26, 2009
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Tuesday, August 18, 2009
A Virtual Map of Real People with Real Healthcare Stories
(You can zoom in and out as well as pan across the map. Click on pics to enlarge)
View Stories from the Walk in a larger map
Wednesday, July 29, 2009
The Walk, the Fight, Continues (Email to the Facebook group for the Walk)
This is an email sent to the Facebook group for the Walk. Click here to join the group.
Greetings from Chicago! While the Walk was a great success—I arrived in DC in one piece, met hundreds of people and gathered their stories, and have already met with several Congressional staffers—the journey has only begun. The special interests are fighting healthcare reform to the death (literally) and you can see the results (or more precisely non-results) in Congress. I met with Dennis Kucinich personally on Tuesday and he immediately recognized the value of the Walk and its message of the “Voice of the People.” He will be publishing an official notice in the Congressional Record urging all his fellow members of Congress to read the stories being posted up on the blog http://walk4healthcare.org/.
But the fight has just begun. I am driving (not walking) back to DC early Thursday morning where I will be speaking later that afternoon at the large Healthcare-Now! rally (http://www.healthcare-now.org/campaigns/single-payer-rally/) along with dozens of other distinguished speakers.
If you can, please attend the rally! This is too important an issue—an issue that crosses both human rights and economic security—to sit in the comfort of one’s home. Please invite everyone you know to the event (and this Facebook group). Please support the Walk For Healthcare which now continues its trek in a multitude of ways to bring the voice of the people back into our government.
Here are some words that kept me going through the Walk leading up to its conclusion on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial, as I listened to Aaron Copeland’s Lincoln Portrait on the iPod.
“That from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion—that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain—that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom—and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.”
That says it all.
Thank you again for all your continued support,
Ogan
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Doris in Washington, DC
Doris in Washington, DC
Originally uploaded by walk4healthcare
Doris, from New York, is here in DC visiting. “No insurance, can’t afford it,” she told me. “And I never go to a doctor—I’m otherwise lucky,” she said with a smile and went off with her friends.
Keith in Washington, DC
Keith in Washington, DC
Originally uploaded by walk4healthcare
Keith is one of the founders of the ubiquitous Food Not Bombs organization. His organization has protested around the world and now he’s in front of the White House delivering his message to all those gathered. His story is simple: he’s got fibromyalgia, which he says he acquired after being tortured by the CIA during one of his several incarcerations for illegally delivering free food. With his income and this sort of pre-existing condition, he can never get health insurance.
Saturday, July 25, 2009
Shayla in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Shayla in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Originally uploaded by walk4healthcare
Shayla’s been newly enrolled in a PPO. Supposedly better than an HMO, she had high expectations. “But,” she told me, “I don’t understand why it’s so good.” “First, you pay more,” she explained, “and second, you still get a bill AFTER the co-pay.” And then she told me about the prescription plan, which requires you to mail away for the medications and it often takes 4 to 6 weeks for delivery. She shook her head. “That just doesn't make sense!”
Friday, July 24, 2009
Brenda in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Brenda in Gaithersburg, Maryland
Originally uploaded by walk4healthcare
Brenda’s story is about her father who died two months ago. She told her story with a mix of disbelief and quiet anger though she was heartened to be able to share with others what she felt was a true health insurance horror story.
Her late father had diabetes since 1995. His illness was complicated by neuropathy and multiple foot infections resulting in an amputation of one great toe. Earlier this year, his insurance company, Group Health, told him that they were dropping him for ‘medical noncompliance’ although Brenda, who’s a nurse, said this was patently a lie and they had medical proof, including doctor’s attestations, that he was in compliance. And then he had a stroke, which was compounded with multiple complications. He came down with sepsis, had to have another amputation, this time below-the-knee. Though the MD said everything was “OK”, the operation was, in fact, a “was a disaster,” Brenda told me. It turned out he was left unattended in the hallway, coded in recovery, had a head bleed, was given CPR, put on a ventilator and admitted to the ICU. He never regained consciousness. He was taken to a Palliative Care unit and though he was put on a morphine drip, he survived for two more tortuous months. All during this time, people from the hospital kept coming by telling his already grieving wife that she would be responsible for the bill. “The total bill is $69,000 and still going up,” she said.
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