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When speaking of journalists Christiane Amanpour said, "Because if we the storytellers don't do this, then the bad people will win." It's a quote that Thomas Atwood knows and believes about his work as a Health Care organizer with Peninsula Interfaith Action (a PICO affiliate) and as a member of UULM's Healthcare steering committee. But it's only one of the reasons he is so passionate about our drive to gather health care stories from people across California. Another reason is that he knows what can happen to some people who show up at a hospital in dire need without health insurance. They can be put out without support and end up being handcuffed and carried by police to a State Hospital. This is what happened to Thomas while in the midst of a psychotic episode in Massachusetts. Mr. Atwood describes the hospital's thinking of him as a cost-center to be reduced instead of a human being with deep need. Thirty years later Thomas's life is much different. His bipolar condition has been diagnosed and stabilized with medication. He works as a technical writer and devotes his free time to helping others tell their health care stories so the " bad guys don't win." He gets quiet when he suggests that our reserve is what allows for tyranny. He cites a study in 1983 that asked people to tell how many friends they had that they could share personally with and talk to deeply. In 1983 the number people gave most often was "3." Today, the same question was asked in another study and the response was "0." Sharing our Healthcare stories helps UUs create social capital built on trust and care, and , for people like Thomas, hearing the stories of others is a great motivator in his efforts to bring about accessible health care for all. As part of UULM's effort to create a safe space where UUs can share their health care stories, Thomas organizes the story gathering in the UU fellowship of Redwood City where he is a member. This work is clearly a passion of his born of his own experience and a commitment to change.
More about UU Voices for Health Care:
Story gathering is a central activity of the UU Voices for Healthcare campaign building community among and within UU congregations. It is also a key part of the new UU Voices for Health Care curriculum (Click HERE for overview and ordering info) - several congregations have already offered story gathering session as a way to begin and augment a small group ministry, and some have offered it as a stand-alone event for coffee hour. Soon there will be a web site for gathering and sharing connecting UUs across the state in creating a voice and a window on the real human cost of our current system of managing health care.
If you would like more information on how your congregation can get involved email here.
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