I just sent the following email to my relatives in Saskatchewan:

[Jackpine Radical]

Things like this are very common in the U.S.

Be very thankful that you live in a civilized nation that provides adequate health care for its citizens. I thought of you folks when I saw the following plea in my email (I changed the names to provide them some measure of privacy):

Mark & Renee ****
***
****
Downing, WI 54734

1 mile west of Connorsville on Highway 64

Saturday, August 15, 2009
11:00 AM to 7:00 PM


Join us for a great cause and a great time with fun for the entire family! All proceeds to help fund a life-saving heart valve transplant for Justin ****.



Free attractions include: all day concerts, corn maze, petting zoo, hay rides, face painting, kid’s games and more. There will also be a silent auction and a live auction at 3:00 PM.



Freewill donation for a delicious brat/hot dog/BBQ meal served from 11:30 AM to 6:30 PM.



Monetary donations may be sent in advance to:

Peoples State Bank
715 State Road 79
Boyceville, WI 54725

Please make checks payable to “Thrivent Financial” with “**** Benefit” in the memo line.

Donations for the auctions accepted until August 10th at **** or call Renee at [phone] to arrange for pick up.

[Bragi]

1. I saw that type of thing in the Bahamas

I worked for a year in the Bahamas, where there was no national health insurance coverage. I became accustomed to seeing notices of this sort quite frequently, usually for children who needed some medical treatment or other. As a Canadian, I felt sorry for Bahamians who had to try to raise money just to get health care they needed. I feel equally sorry for Americans forced into the same situation.

P.S. Feel free to send the article below to anyone buying into the GOP crap about Canadians being somehow opposed to their health care system...

The largest survey on primary health care ever conducted in Canada found that most people have high praise for their family doctor, and a staggering 92 per cent would recommend their physician to a relative or friend.

Canadians – except those living in Nunavut – have excellent access to primary health care: 85 per cent of people aged 12 and older have a regular doctor, and two thirds have been seeing the same doctor for five years or more, according to the Canadian Institute for Health Information (CIHI) study, released yesterday.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/life/health/canadians-happy-with-primary-health-care-study-says/article1229169/

[EC]

2. Benefits like this is almost a weekly occurance

in my town...I almost had to have one for my daughter who was insured but denied due to "pre-existing conditions" but the doctors stepped up and did their work for free...so we only had to pay the hospital.