VOP Front Porch Diaries

Niti Patel

Charlottesville Team

 A few days ago, I was having a pretty long score of refusals and unsupportive people.  Moving on to my next door, I felt certain the outcome would fall in line with the day’s results thus far.  As I walked up the driveway, I saw an older man on his riding lawnmower.  I thought for sure he would refuse me.  As I initiated my rap, the man immediately gave me the third degree on my party affiliation, funding, etc.  After explaining our nonpartisan stance, he begrudgingly agreed to give me a few minutes of his time.  As soon as the issue of health care arose, I saw an immediate shift in the man’s eyes.  He told me how strongly he felt that our health care system needed reform.  He went on to tell me that his wife had recently passed away as a result of cancer.  She had received treatment in-state through the insurance they had, but in order to get advanced treatment, they needed out-of-state treatment.  Their health insurance did not cover it, and they couldn’t afford it, so she went without the treatment.  A few weeks later she passed away.  The same eyes that had previously looked at me suspiciously now glistened with tears.  He turned to me and told me that I was doing a good thing and that he would assuredly make the phone call. 

I walked away from that man deeply saddened, yet even more impassioned for the work that I was doing.  As my canvassing experience progresses, I carry the stories of all the people that have been affected by our broken health care system, and the need for reform becomes increasingly apparent.