Jessica Whizin and Jean MathisMy name is Jessica Whizin and I want to tell you about my grandmother, Jean Mathis, because she is unable to do it herself. For the last 15 years she has suffered from severe Alzheimer’s in advanced stages.

As a young girl growing up my grandmother was the woman who raised me. She worked two jobs – one during the day as an office manager and the other at night as a waitress – to support me. When I turned nine years old my grandmother began to suffer the early stages of Alzheimer’s, although she was still able to work and function on her own.

However, neither of her two jobs provided her with health care insurance. As the Alzheimer’s has continue to progress, other health issues have arisen for my grandmother. She began to suffer from soft bones and, as of five years ago, needed hip replacement surgery. She has been confined to a bed with little or no care.

It is sad that this woman who gave so much to me has not been given access to basic health care. My grandmother is only one of the tens of millions of people affected by our nation’s health care crisis. Something must be done. We can’t treat our fellow Americans this way any longer.