Over the last decade, I have had the privilege of serving those who do not have access to health care in our community. The majority of these fine people have been unhoused. This is the hardest and most rewarding job I have ever had. I have seen people who literally have only the clothes on their backs, shoeless, hungry and filled with despair walk into our clinic. We offered them the bare minimum: a little food, a hot drink, some medical care and a listening ear. We watched these people make dramatic changes because they learned that they really did deserve care. This is part of preventative medicine.
The economic system that we live in is brutal to the unhoused. People that struggle with limited resources are further punished for their suffering. We see the toll that living without the protection of shelter has on the body and the mind. Even common diseases with common treatments like diabetes are unnecessarily difficult to manage. Insulin for diabetic management needs to be refrigerated but without a house with a refrigerator, this life saving medicine is inaccessible. The result is that uncontrolled diabetes eventually leads to a loss of tissue and infection leading up through the body which results in death, one amputation at a time.
This is completely preventable. We at Occupy Medical are dedicated to the proposition that healthcare is a human right and housing is part of the equation. Tonight, on the longest night of the year, we mourn those who were denied that right. We will not forget your loss. We will continue the fight for justice. A roof is good medicine. Bless you all.
Sue Sierralupe
Program Director, Occupy Medical
A Note From the Publisher
Dear Readers,
The last two years have been some of the hardest in Eugene Weekly’s 43 years. There were moments when keeping the paper alive felt uncertain. And yet, here we are — still publishing, still investigating, still showing up every week.
That’s because of you!
Not just because of financial support (though that matters enormously), but because of the emails, notes, conversations, encouragement and ideas you shared along the way. You reminded us why this paper exists and who it’s for.
Listening to readers has always been at the heart of Eugene Weekly. This year, that meant launching our popular weekly Activist Alert column, after many of you told us there was no single, reliable place to find information about rallies, meetings and ways to get involved. You asked. We responded.
We’ve also continued to deepen the coverage that sets Eugene Weekly apart, including our in-depth reporting on local real estate development through Bricks & Mortar — digging into what’s being built, who’s behind it and how those decisions shape our community.
And, of course, we’ve continued to bring you the stories and features many of you depend on: investigations and local government reporting, arts and culture coverage, sudoku and crossword puzzles, Savage Love, and our extensive community events calendar. We feature award-winning stories by University of Oregon student reporters getting real world journalism experience. All free. In print and online.
None of this happens by accident. It happens because readers step up and say: this matters.
As we head into a new year, please consider supporting Eugene Weekly if you’re able. Every dollar helps keep us digging, questioning, celebrating — and yes, occasionally annoying exactly the right people. We consider that a public service.
Thank you for standing with us!
Publisher
Eugene Weekly
P.S. If you’d like to talk about supporting EW, I’d love to hear from you!
jody@eugeneweekly.com
(541) 484-0519
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