September 13 rally in Washington
Photo by Connie Toops. Handmade signs relayed the sentiments of peaceful advocates for health care reform as they gathered within sight of the US Capitol on September 13, 2009, to support affordable, accessible, accountable updates to the nation's health care system.
- The Washington Post took this photo of the back of my head as I spoke at the health care rally in Washington.
Colette Corwin and Margaret Stockard-Goering talk at Union Station, before we even found our way to the exit.
People from Western North Carolina at Union Station on the way to the rally
Terra Dunn Maney shot footage of our trip.
David Ireland outside Union Station.
Tom and Barbara Coulson hold signs written by me and made by Life o' Mike board member Chrystal Cook.
It was my turn to hold the grandma sign. Barbara carried it most of the day and dozens of people stopped her to shoot photos.
Bridget McCurry of Canton holds one of my favorite signs: Who would Jesus insure?
I loved how clever some of the signs were.
Another clever sign
Cindy Soesbee of Franklin, a member of our group.
Just telling the truth.
Another horror story
Clever, and a little icky
A man and his dog
This young man spoke about his mother, whi is going blind because she can't get cateract surgery.
People wait to speak to the crowd. Each had a story about the abuses of our broken health care system.
Good pointHealth care advocacy is patriotic.
Did you know a birth defect is a pre-existing condition?
Joe the bus driver gets ready to drive us halfway home. He was more ready for fun than most of us were, and we enjoyed his company.
Participants arrive at Upper Senate Park for health care reform rally. Oklahoma organizers unfurl their banner. Photo by Connie Toops.
Photo by Connie Toops. I was interviewed by the ABC affiliate in Washington.Photo by Connie Toops. Participants from many states joined the health care reform march near the Capitol. People marched around the park, chanting and waving signs before the program began.
Photo by Connie Toops. Peaceful demonstrators gather near the US Capitol in support of a public option for affordable, accessible, accountable health care reform.
Photo by Connie Toops. It was easy to imagine President Obama was at the rally. The young woman next to him talked about how her sister is afraid to become pregnant because she doesn't have insurance.
Patient Pals & Family Friends
Life o' Mike has a peer support program for people with one or more serious or chronic medical issues or disabilities.
We aim to reduce isolation and fear among people who have conditions, including psychiatric illness, HIV/AIDS, diabetes, mild dementia or other cognitive disorder or disability, thereby reducing depression and complications as people learn to improve self-management of their medical conditions.
Patient Pals help alleviate feelings of isolation and frustration. They can help people develop a list of questions to ask the doctor and then accompany the person to the doctor to make sure all the questions are answered, taking notes to be sure the person understands the doctor’s answers.
Our trained volunteers also accompany their “Pals” to art exhibits, movies and walks outdoors, meet for coffee, call to check in and more.
Our Pals have experienced weight loss, improvement in diabetes, HIV, psoriasis, depression and more, just because they have someone who cares about them. Some relationships develop into longer-term friendships; other Pals move on to more independent lives.
Family Friends are there to help caregivers and other family members grow into their new role.
We need volunteers, who are asked to donate a minimum of one hour a week. Training is free and includes information on active listening, ways to help and when to know more help is needed.
And of course, we need funding.
To learn more, call Leslie Boyd at 828-243-6712 or e-mail lifeomike@gmail.com.
Life o’ Mike honors Joe Eblen
Life o' Mike presented its first Michael T. Danforth Community Service Award to Joe Eblen at a luncheon on June 8, in the Friendship Hall of First Congregational Church, 20 Oak St., Asheville.
Joe, seen here with Leslie Boyd, left, and his wife, Bobbie, has spent his life helping children and families, both as a coach and game official for more than 60 years, and as founder of Eblen Charities.
Start From Seed
Life o' Mike has a new program- Start from Seed (SFS).
SFS is a volunteer doula program aimed at providing non-medical, comprehensive support to low income, high-risk women and families of Buncombe County focusing on three areas:
1. We help new doulas with certification and training in return for their participation as a volunteer doula for SFS
2. We mentor volunteer doulas with their first few clients
3. Our volunteer doulas provide birth and postpartum doula services to low income, high risk moms, providing support and tools to empower them as a new parent.
A birth doula is a trained and experienced professional who provides continuous physical, emotional and informational support to the mother before, during and just after birth; a postpartum doula provides emotional and practical support during the postpartum period.
Start from Seed clients are referred to us from the Buncombe County Department of Health’s Nurse-Family Partnership Program, Western North Carolina Community Health Services, and Mission Hospital. The Program is intended and designed for growing clients’ inner strength and helping them gain empowerment to help them cope with the emotional, physical and mental challenges of childbirth, labor, and motherhood.
Our new moms and their infants have many needs. If you would like to help them get off to a good start, please visit our Start from Seed web site: Start from Seed, or call Program Director Chelsea Kouns at 804-814-9946.
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