Today we are taking time to feature stories of every day Iowans who have struggled because of a lack of quality, affordable health care. Every hour, on the hour, we will feature a new story in the hope that these faces and their struggles persuade Senator Charles Grassley that true reform cannot happen without a public health care plan option, and that quality, affordable health care needs to be available to every Iowan.

Leah M. Keneps
Iowa City, IA

I am a Student and an Artist. I cannot depend on my employment to provide affordable health care insurance. When I needed to undergo a preventative surgery, which was indicated after a routine screening for Cervical Cancer, I was buried in bills that will take me years to pay off in full.

If even routine procedures are prohibitively expensive, how likely is it that people without coverage will continue to seek preventative, important medical care? Is that really how a country as great as ours should be assigning value to the quality of a human life?

I hope you will agree that it is not just the wealthy and fortunate among us who deserve quality affordable Health Care. Those of us who carry the stress of misfortune may be able to turn our lives around if we have the support of proper Health Care. Please, consider these things when you cast your vote, Senator Grassley.

Respond to Senator Grassley on Twitter: http://twitter.com/ChuckGrassley

Write Senator Grassley and tell him that you want health care reform today:
http://action.seiu.org/page/speakout/24hrs