Senator Edward M. Kennedy died last week.  I found myself glued to the television, reading every piece of coverage in the New York Times.  I listened to laudatory comments from his Senate colleagues on both sides of aisle about their friend and colleague.  They described how “Ted” would look for areas of agreement and then use these levers to push through legislation.  A Sunday NYT editorial described him as the last “liberal,” the last of a breed that believed government should be used to protect the poor and disenfranchised. One of our colleagues said she felt “bereft” at his passing, this man with whom and for whom she had worked.  I, too felt bereft, even though I never knew him. 

Over the last few months since Kennedy’s diagnosis, the media have spent time trying to identify who among the Kennedy clan will be the family’s new standard bearer.  I am more interested in who will be the new standard bearer for social justice in Congress.  It is not enough to be a believer; there are still believers in the House and Senate.  What is lost is a believer who not only has the skills to bring along members of his or her own party but who also has the skills and understanding to bring along members of the other party who believe in the vision of universal coverage. Yet, with all the accolades for “Teddy” and how he reached across the aisle for compromise in addressing much needed programs, no one in Congress has stepped forward to model those same virtues. 

Eight years ago we lost Senator Paul Wellstone.  Now Ted Kennedy is gone.  But for the activists among us, Kennedy’s words live on: “For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”

Many of our colleagues in the Medical Care Section of APHA have worked for and with these leaders and mourn their passing. This newsletter includes their reminiscences, as well as Senator Kennedy’s remarks as he accepted the Paul Wellstone Award at the 2007 Activist’s Dinner.  But the time for mourning and celebration must give way to renewed energy and action.  The battle for health care reform must not be lost again to a campaign of lies and misdirection.  In the 1980s the catastrophic health care act was passed and then voted down, in part, due to a campaign that scared American seniors.  In the '90s the Clinton health care reform effort didn’t even come to a vote due to a campaign that scared Middle America.  Today, the tides that had seemed so ready for a change, so ready for real reform, are rapidly ebbing in the face of fear and mistrust by many of the potential beneficiaries of change. 

If there is to be health reform, we cannot and must not be silent.  Some, like Senator Kennedy, took up the mantle of social justice to carry on the work of his fallen brothers. We have other role models from within our own family who have responded to calls for justice.  Let me recognize just a few:  Dr. Mardge Cohen, the spouse of Dr. Gordy Schiff (past-chair of the Medical Care Section) is being honored at this year’s Activist’s Dinner for taking up the mantle for HIV/AIDS treatment for women and children in the United States and in Rwanda. Dr. Ellen Shaffer and her partner took up the mantle for World Trade and health.   Ms. Nancy Stoller took up the cause of residents of Gaza who are without access to desperately needed health care.  Dr. Vic Sidel and his colleague Robert Gould have taken up the mantle of peace time and time again.   Dr. Arlene Ash took up the mantle of clean elections here in the United States. These are all remarkable people, remarkable because they stepped up and stepped out for what they believe is right. 

More of us need to step up, in whatever way we can, whether it is using some of the personal credibility we have within our communities as providers, as teachers, as policy-makers, or as researchers.  We must  educate public audiences that are being given misinformation, provide objective research or literature to legislators, or just make phone calls and write letters.  We must not let another opportunity to reform our health care system and to expand access to quality health care to all slip through our fingers. 

“For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”

This is my last letter to you all as chair of the Medical Care Section.  It has been my great honor to hold this office and to have, for a time, this venue to speak to all of you. 

I wish you all peace and health (paz y salud). 

Gail