Moment of Silence: Melanie Shouse has died

Feb 06, 2010 15:48

Today I received a message from MoveOn that Melanie Shouse has died. She was a women's health care activist for decades and will be sorely missed.


Earlier this week, we received incredibly sad news. Melanie Shouse, a
devoted MoveOn Council leader in St. Louis and tireless health care
advocate, passed away after a battle with breast cancer.

Melanie was a true fighter. While she was involved in many issues with
MoveOn, she always said health care was her heart--and even after
treatments began, she came to every single health care rally, speaking out
about the injustices she was suffering under our broken health care
system.

Melanie's story is a painful reminder of why we need to fight as hard as
we can to get real health care reform passed, now.

Our friends at TrueMajority are gathering messages of condolence to
deliver to Melanie's family this weekend. The email they sent is below.
To add your message, just click this link.

http://www.truemajority.org/MelanieShouse/moveon

Thanks for all that you do.

--Kat, Keauna, Ilya, Lenore, and the rest of the team

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Dear Kat,

Melanie Shouse has died.

Melanie was a small business owner from Missouri battling stage four
breast cancer, who also had to fight with insurance companies who didn't
want to pay for her treatment. She didn't take that lying down--she spoke
out, she protested, she became a leader in the movement for a more just
health care system. Maybe you remember the video thank-you she sent to
you and other TrueMajority members last October for being part of that
movement.1

The cancer took Melanie's life last week. To her family, we can only
express our deepest regret and sympathy. If you'd like to send your
sympathy as well, you can sign our guest book, and we'll deliver your
messages to the family this weekend.

http://www.truemajority.org/MelanieShouse/moveon

We're sorry we didn't get health care reform done sooner. Sorry that
insurance coverage isn't more affordable and accessible for millions of
Americans who need it. Mostly, we're sorry to lose our friend.

But Melanie would not have wanted us to stop fighting for reform. In fact,
she asked that those attending her memorial service wear their activist
t-shirts. So tomorrow, in lieu of flowers, let's deliver our condolences,
put on a campaign t-shirt and remember why we fight and who we are
fighting for.

-Matt

Matt Holland
TrueMajority / USAction

moment of silence, gender studies

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