The Experimental Operation 634.1
Tess, an earnest 8-year-old, was worried. Her little brother was very sick and she overheard her mom crying on the phone: “They say his only chance is an experimental operation, but it isn’t covered by insurance and there’s no way we can pay for it.”
Tess went to a jar containing all the money she had saved. Although she wasn’t supposed to go to the store alone, this was an emergency. She walked four blocks to the drugstore where her mom got her medicine. She went to the counter, but the pharmacist was deeply engaged in a conversation with another man.
Finally, Tess said, “Excuse me, but this is an emergency.”
“What do you need?” the pharmacist snapped. “I’m talking to my brother whom I haven’t seen in years.”
Tess replied, “Well, I have a brother, too, and he’s going to die if you don’t sell me an experimental operation.”
The pharmacist said, “We don’t sell operations here.”
His brother stepped forward and asked softly, “What kind of operation do you need?”
“To take sick lumps out of his brain,” Tess answered, “and I have money.” She poured all her cash out on the counter.
The brother said, “Well, that may be just enough.”
After a discussion with Tess’s mom, the nationally renowned neurosurgeon took the case and successfully performed the complex operation at no charge.
This is my version of a story that once circulated on the Internet. Even if it’s not true, it’s a wonderful parable about what can happen when caring is turned into action.
This is Michael Josephson reminding you that character counts.
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Comments
I've read it elsewhere and it really is a real life incident. Thank you for sharing it once again!
Posted by: Fareedah Ogunbambi | August 28, 2009 4:28 PM
Even if this is true, what does this tell us?
One little girl was in the right place at the right time.
How many others die because the treatment they need is deemed to be experimental by the insurance company? That would be the same insurance company that has taken thousands of dollars in premiums from that family over the years.
It is time to take luck out of the equation and get healthcare reform passed. No one should have to be in the position of battling their insurance company when they should be using all of their time and energy to fight their illness.
Posted by: stephanie | September 4, 2009 8:46 AM
This site talks about building character. What is more character-building than helping those in need? The president takes his daughters to help at a food bank to do just that.
Our nation's character can be rebuilt after these desert years of selfish political conservatism we have had since Ronald Reagan if we pass universal health care with a government option. That will ensure that the character of the for-profit insurance companies is built by forcing them to provide quality service at reasonable prices or go out of business.
Conservative Christians love to call themselves "prolife," but you are only prolife if you care about the children who are already here and are willing to help them live healthy, educated, productive lives. It is real easy to protect undeveloped fetuses that need only a physical attachment to their mother to live. It is harder to love an unmotivated teenage boy with sagging pants and a smart mouth.
Jesus said Love God. Love others. Love yourself. That is one of the few things he required of his followers, not a bunch of man-made rules. Healing the sick is one of the most important aspects of his command.
Posted by: Rhonda Browning | September 8, 2009 10:58 PM