Campaign Emerge

Campaign Emerge: Young Adults with Chronic Conditions and

Disabilities

A Photo Essay by Natasha Bhagat

1 in 5 children has a chronic condition or disability

More than 10 million children in the United States has a chronic condition or disability

What happens to these children when they grow up?

They become young adults (18-29 years old) with chronic conditions and disabilities and there are over 8 million of

them.

Health care reform promises to provide

insurance for these young adults by 2014

These young adults depend on Quality Health Care to live their

lives

At age 18, the system of services and supports they relied on comes to a sudden stop.

They can end up in the emergency room or hospital and may even die!

Even with insurance, young adults cannot find doctors with the knowledge

and desire to treat them.

The other problem is that these young adults must be taught how to manage

their own health

After depending on their parents or guardians during childhood, they are immediately forced to take care of their own health alone.

Unless these young people get the right care,

they will not succeed in education or work or…

Life and Love

Society must care about and embrace young adults with chronic

conditions and disabilities

Our nation needs to invest in young adults with chronic conditions and

disabilities

So they can become financially independent and contribute to society, and live the lives they dream of.

Chanda Gunn Age: 31 years

Epilepsy

Percy HarvinAge: 23 years

Migraine