Donna Smith, National Organization for Women’s, 2009 Woman of Action

[Better Believe It]

Donna Smith
Woman of Action Honoree

Donna Smith helped draw attention to the troubled U.S. health care system when she appeared in Michael Moore's 2007 movie, "SiCKO." Despite being insured, Smith and her husband were forced to move into their daughter's basement after suffering major illnesses and losing everything to outrageous medical costs. A uterine cancer survivor, Donna traveled to Cuba with Moore to compare the country’s national health care system with her experiences in the U.S.

Since then, Smith has campaigned in 41 states and D.C. in support of single-payer health care reform as co-chair of the Progressive Democrats of America's "Healthcare Not Warfare" campaign. Smith also founded American Patients United, a non-profit group dedicated to raising awareness about national health care and works as a community organizer for the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee.

A graduate of Colorado College, Smith's journalism career includes work with NEWSWEEK magazine. She has been honored by the Associated Press Managing Editors, and also received the Inland Press Association’s top honor in 2006 for community-based journalism.

Smith continues an active writing and speaking career, blogging and writing op-eds about the health care crisis. This May Donna spoke about the issue on PBS' Bill Moyers' Journal.

http://www.now.org/organization/conference/2009/speakers.html#smith

Donna Smith



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CNA’s Donna Smith, National Organization of Women’s 2009 Woman of Action
By Mike Hall
July 10, 2009

Donna Smith, a community organizer and legislative representative for the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee (CNA/NNOC), was recently honored as the National Organization for Women’s (NOW’s) 2009 Woman of Action.

Smith first came to the public’s attention in Michael Moore’s 2007 movie, “SICKO.” Despite having health insurance and even a health savings account, Donna and her husband Larry were forced to move into their daughter’s basement after being unable to pay staggering health care costs—and were left in financial ruin.

Donna’s husband, Larry, suffered three heart attacks and Donna was diagnosed and treated for uterine cancer. There is even a scene in the movie “SICKO” where Michael Moore takes Donna to Cuba to get the necessary treatment their insurance wouldn’t pay for.

After the film was released, Smith became a health care activist, taking her story and those of other victims of the badly broken health care system around the country at rallies, teach-ins, seminars and demonstrations. She is a founder of the health care advocacy group American Patients United.

At the group’s recent national conference, NOW President Kim Gandy said Smith “epitomizes how to best confront the injustices in this world.”

Donna is speaking out, organizing, pressuring and advocating for solutions to fix the long-standing crisis produced by our unfair for-profit health care system.

Donna’s story is remarkable—from illness, bankruptcy, financial ruin—to fighting back and becoming an icon to millions as a health insurance reform advocate. We salute Donna for her hard work and tenacity.

http://blog.aflcio.org/2009/07/10/cnas-donna-smith-national-organization-of-womens-2009-woman-of-action/

[lukasahero]

1. Interesting that someone "unrec'd" this post.

Not surprising but interesting...

Thanks for sharing - and way to go Ms. Smith!

[Better Believe It]

2. Donna Smith is far too radical for Democratic "centrists"

Because she is actually doing progressive things rather than trying to get some corporate CEO or Board of Directors position.

If Donna Smith signed on and wrote a post for DU it would never make "the greatest page" under the new system.