Doctors also want a new healthcare system. It pains me and my collegues to hear stories like this. Don’t give up hope. It truly believe that our health care system will improve over the coming years so that everyone can afford to medical care. This isn’t a democratic nor republican issue – its an American one.

And Serenity is one beautiful child among millions — millions of children and families around the world who are suffering, the unimaginable loss of life in the recent cyclone and earthquake — millions of children who suffer unimaginable poverty and disease — millions of orphans who fruitlessly seek their parents after wars, genocide, or natural disasters. It’s heartbreaking.

We can donate to relief organizations, we can pray, we can fight to create political change, we can fight for better living conditions. We can invest in helping new business via micro-loans. Here at home we can fight for better health insurance (which I think is one of the most critical challenges we face as a country). But sometimes the sadness of reality is just overwhelming.

I think Serenity’s illness gives a face to children’s devastating world problems–we are unbearably saddened by her struggle for itself, and as a reminder of all else we wish we could change. Yet, the power of communication, of community, of people pulling together to help Serenity, to help a family we CAN impact is like a light in the darkness.

So now Serenity has a huge new extended family who are lifting her up, lifting up her parents and siblings, and contributing energy to her fight through prayers, donations, and messages of caring. Let’s hope that all we (and others) do allows Phil’s family to table financial worries and concentrate on what Serenity needs to fight and WIN.

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I am not sure if I can answer how an unemployed person pays for health insurance. I haven’t had a job in almost 25 years. As a solo entrepreneur, I am unemployed every morning.

Thinking back, I am sure there have been times when I have had to hit a credit card to pay for my health insurance.

@rienkefj suggested a consultants organization for getting a deal on health insurance. Though I have not done any research lately, I found that individual plans worked out better when I was looking for insurance. We have Regence Blue Cross Blue Shield, and they have many options.

Health insurance is my biggest expense, business, or family. With the increase next month I will be paying $200 a month more for health insurance than I do for my house. If it came down to it, I think that I would pay for the health insurance and risk losing the house. I can live anywhere if it came down to it. I never again want to make a decision about going to the doctor because of money.

I’d like to challenge all you blog readers to donate an amount equal to their last meal out to help phil801. Lunch the other day with you was $30 bucks and I will add to that and make my donation.

Marc

@Phil801 – you have many people who are behind you on this. Go, fight, WIN!

@heather – how easy it is to forget our blessings – thank you for sharing.

@reinkefj – as usual, great comments. Do you know the name of the independent consultant’s organization?

@karen – the system is broken, and I don’t know how to fix it. There is a lot of rhetoric on how to fix it, but really, what is the solution? Hopefully we can get it figured out.

We are listening and paying for television advertising no longer doctors and actual research that can cure real illnesses. If that poor child was wealthy she would definitely get better care in the United States.

Prayers in the little girl’s direction.

On to a political opinion, I KNOW that we don’t want ‘universal health care’ as proposed by the politicians. We are in this mess BECAUSE of them. All the junk they have thrown in — not the least of which is heathcare is deductible by your employer but not by you! They create the problem and then ride to our rescue causing more problems. Argh!

fjohn