Names of the Dead

My father, Roger Godwin, died this past summer due to problems with our health care system. He did have insurance, but was a victim of a system that is more focused on the bottom line than care. He experienced severe pain in his back, but was denied access to an MRI and physical therapy was prescribed instead. Physical therapy is not effective when the problem is a tumor growing next to the spine and, worse, does nothing to detect this threatening condition before it begins to spread. Spread it did, eventually leading to tumors in my father's lungs, brain, liver, and , most painfully, in his bones. He fought hard, but died after a painful struggle lasting almost a year. My father was a veteran of the Korean war, active in local government, gave in myriad other ways, and was greatly beloved by his family and those in his community. He deserved better. We deserve better.