Michelle Whitley: The story of how I affected the life of one

child

When Michelle Whitley heard about STEP UP, she immediately

knew she wanted to become involved. She knew firsthand how

hard it is to constantly worry about the impact healthcare can have

on finances. When she was a teenager, her brother was injured in

an auto accident and his car insurance did not even begin to cover

the costs. "I was scared, I remember wondering if we were going to

lose our house," she says. "It took my parents quite awhile to pay

off the debt."

Therefore, when she received a letter asking her to become a

supporter, she knew that she had to respond. “That letter touched

my heart, we had health insurance but we still had financial

problems. I couldn’t imagine what it would have been like for

someone with absolutely no health insurance."

With this in mind, Michelle became a regular donor and

eventually a volunteer. “I could never forget the man I met my first

day of volunteering. He had just lost his job, and as a result felt like

a complete failure,” she says. However, when Michelle explained

the programs STEP UP had available to help him she saw his face.

She says that she will never forget the words he said to her as he

walked out the door, "Thank your for giving me hope."