Dedicated advocate for publicly funded universal health coverage
President of Health Care for All - Washington for 5 years
Advocacy for publicly funded universal health coverage in Washington state or in the U.S. has to be one of the most frustrating causes to choose. One could die before real health reform is enacted, and Carolyn Apel did just that on February 24 at age 64. As President of Health Care for All - WA (HCFA-WA) she tirelessly lobbied legislators in Olympia, helped put on educational conferences, gathered signatures for an initiative drive, and recruited new members from the concerned public. Only her final battle with cancer caused her to cut back severely on her activities. One of her last statements to a close friend was: “It is very comforting to know that I will die as President of Health Care for All. It has meant everything to me to be the head of the organization that wants to do what is right.”
Carolyn spread information from a wide variety of sources to all involved in the cause via email. She kept in touch with universal health coverage advocates in several national organizations such as Physicians for a National Health Program, Healthcare-NOW, and Universal Health Care Action Network, just to name a few. She also kept up-to-date with efforts in neighboring states (Oregon and California).
Most important of all, Carolyn ran a committee of HCFA-WA, the Helpline. This was her special project, and she almost single-handedly built a large referral network of dedicated physicians (U.S. and Canadian), mental health workers, and pharmacists (again, U.S. and Canadian) who were willing to see distressed patients unable to afford the usual medical care in the Seattle area. She even fielded calls from as far away as Michigan! All that Carolyn asked of the people she helped connect to needed medical care was permission to use their stories. Several of these have appeared in the HCFA-WA quarterly newsletter, where they help personalize how badly our U.S. health care system is functioning for so many people.
Here is a fairly typical story: From Linda S., Texas: “I am searching for information on a cardiologist in Canada since we have no health insurance. My partner has developed a definite heart problem, and so far has spent at least $1,000 just seeing a general practitioner and getting a stress test. An angiogram is recommended, but we can’t pay for it. We’re seriously thinking about going to Canada for the procedure and a consultation with a cardiologist. Whom should we contact?” Carolyn found ways to link patients such as this one with needed medical resources, often in Canada.
Carolyn’s energy, enthusiasm, and accomplishments will be sorely missed by her many friends who share her advocacy for publicly funded universal health coverage. Everybody in, nobody out!
Carolyn is survived by her brother Fred Apel of Detroit, MI.
A remembrance is to be held Tuesday, February 26 at 4:30 pm at Anderson Plaza, Main Activity Room, 17201 15th Ave. N.E., Shoreline, WA 98155. Donations in honor of Carolyn’s life can be made to: Health Care for All - Washington, P.O. Box 30506, Seattle, WA 98113.
All friends and supporters of Carolyn Apel, please spread the word about plans for her memorial.
Oh, by the way, about ME and my life for the reunion book. To sum up my
life: I graduated from Wayne state from the college of sciences and
worked one year for Reichhold Chemicals as an analytical chemist. Then I
moved to San Francisco where I had a wild life surounded by cults and
hippies. After 3 years of california, I moved to IRAN! What a culture
change! I lived with Iranian families and infiltrated the culture so well
that no one believed I was American. Every time I told someone I was
American, they said: bull shit! They assumed I was from one of the
villages, and that I had moved to the city to live with rich relatives,
and that I was PRETENDING to be an american!!! When the revolution broke
out, I had to escape! I had no idea that I would land in seattle. I
traveled through many countries trying to get to safety. I landed in canada, but they wouldn't give me a landed immigrant status, so I took a
train across the border and came to the US at Seattle. I am now a
research consultant for the U of Washington. I have written text book
(ESL and Science), and they are published in Taiwan! When I was a high
school senior I did not have money; not even enough for the photograph for
the class year book. I asked my counselor if I could bring a photo from
home. He said NO. He said I would have to come up with the money for the
school photographer, or NO photo. I was not able to get the money.
Therefore, you will not see my photo in the year book. However, I was
president of the biology club, and all clubs had their photos taken as a
group. So you can find my in the photo of the biology club. I would like
all my school mates to know about this, and why I am not pictured with the
rest of the group. Thanx carolyn
IN 2002, I WAS GIVEN A BOOK TO READ, MY LAST REMAINS. AFTER RESEARCHING THE AUTHOR (CAROLYN HAD USED THE NAME OF JILL), I DISCOVERED THAT SHE WAS A CLASSMATE OF OURS. WHILE READING THE BOOK, I WAS APPALLED TO DISCOVER WHAT THIS LOVELY WOMAN HAD GONE THROUGH HER ENTIRE LIFE. SHE WAS SEXUALLY ABUSED, NEGLECTED AND RAISED BY AN INSANE MOTHER. LEFT ALONE TO FIND HER WAY THROUGH LIFE, SHE TRIED GOING TO SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE 50'S, TO NO AVAIL. AFTER DISCOVERING HER TRUE IDENITY, I LOCATED HER IN SEATTLE AND WE BEGAN A FRIENDSHIP OF CORRESPONDING UNTIL CANCER TOOK HER LIFE. THE WALLS OF MUMFORD NEVER REVEALED HER TORTURED LIFE, SO CAROLYN WAS LEFT ALONE TO FIND HER PATH, SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFULLY. SHE NEVER MARRIED, NEVER FELT HER LIFE WAS COMPLETE, SADLY. KAREN (ROGERS) STARR
Richard Rosen
I found this on the Internet. (Very Interesting)
CAROLYN APEL: 1943-2008
Dedicated advocate for publicly funded universal health coverage
President of Health Care for All - Washington for 5 years
Advocacy for publicly funded universal health coverage in Washington state or in the U.S. has to be one of the most frustrating causes to choose. One could die before real health reform is enacted, and Carolyn Apel did just that on February 24 at age 64. As President of Health Care for All - WA (HCFA-WA) she tirelessly lobbied legislators in Olympia, helped put on educational conferences, gathered signatures for an initiative drive, and recruited new members from the concerned public. Only her final battle with cancer caused her to cut back severely on her activities. One of her last statements to a close friend was: “It is very comforting to know that I will die as President of Health Care for All. It has meant everything to me to be the head of the organization that wants to do what is right.”
Carolyn spread information from a wide variety of sources to all involved in the cause via email. She kept in touch with universal health coverage advocates in several national organizations such as Physicians for a National Health Program, Healthcare-NOW, and Universal Health Care Action Network, just to name a few. She also kept up-to-date with efforts in neighboring states (Oregon and California).
Most important of all, Carolyn ran a committee of HCFA-WA, the Helpline. This was her special project, and she almost single-handedly built a large referral network of dedicated physicians (U.S. and Canadian), mental health workers, and pharmacists (again, U.S. and Canadian) who were willing to see distressed patients unable to afford the usual medical care in the Seattle area. She even fielded calls from as far away as Michigan! All that Carolyn asked of the people she helped connect to needed medical care was permission to use their stories. Several of these have appeared in the HCFA-WA quarterly newsletter, where they help personalize how badly our U.S. health care system is functioning for so many people.
Here is a fairly typical story: From Linda S., Texas: “I am searching for information on a cardiologist in Canada since we have no health insurance. My partner has developed a definite heart problem, and so far has spent at least $1,000 just seeing a general practitioner and getting a stress test. An angiogram is recommended, but we can’t pay for it. We’re seriously thinking about going to Canada for the procedure and a consultation with a cardiologist. Whom should we contact?” Carolyn found ways to link patients such as this one with needed medical resources, often in Canada.
Carolyn’s energy, enthusiasm, and accomplishments will be sorely missed by her many friends who share her advocacy for publicly funded universal health coverage. Everybody in, nobody out!
Carolyn is survived by her brother Fred Apel of Detroit, MI.
A remembrance is to be held Tuesday, February 26 at 4:30 pm at Anderson Plaza, Main Activity Room, 17201 15th Ave. N.E., Shoreline, WA 98155. Donations in honor of Carolyn’s life can be made to: Health Care for All - Washington, P.O. Box 30506, Seattle, WA 98113.
All friends and supporters of Carolyn Apel, please spread the word about plans for her memorial.
Michael Stecker MD
Carolyn Apel's 2001 auto-biography, as well as those from others Mumford '61 clssmates can be read at:
http://mstecker.com/hampton/dwnld/mumrebios-alph_h_.doc
Carolyn Appel
Oh, by the way, about ME and my life for the reunion book. To sum up myWayne San Francisco california IRAN seattle
canada US Seattle Taiwan
life: I graduated from
worked one year for Reichhold Chemicals as an analytical chemist. Then I
moved to
hippies. After 3 years of
change! I lived with Iranian families and infiltrated the culture so well
that no one believed I was American. Every time I told someone I was
American, they said: bull shit! They assumed I was from one of the
villages, and that I had moved to the city to live with rich relatives,
and that I was PRETENDING to be an american!!! When the revolution broke
out, I had to escape! I had no idea that I would land in
traveled through many countries trying to get to safety. I landed in
train across the border and came to the
research consultant for the U of Washington. I have written text book
(ESL and Science), and they are published in
school senior I did not have money; not even enough for the photograph for
the class year book. I asked my counselor if I could bring a photo from
home. He said NO. He said I would have to come up with the money for the
school photographer, or NO photo. I was not able to get the money.
Therefore, you will not see my photo in the year book. However, I was
president of the biology club, and all clubs had their photos taken as a
group. So you can find my in the photo of the biology club. I would like
all my school mates to know about this, and why I am not pictured with the
rest of the group. Thanx carolyn
Karen Rogers (Starr)
IN 2002, I WAS GIVEN A BOOK TO READ, MY LAST REMAINS. AFTER RESEARCHING THE AUTHOR (CAROLYN HAD USED THE NAME OF JILL), I DISCOVERED THAT SHE WAS A CLASSMATE OF OURS. WHILE READING THE BOOK, I WAS APPALLED TO DISCOVER WHAT THIS LOVELY WOMAN HAD GONE THROUGH HER ENTIRE LIFE. SHE WAS SEXUALLY ABUSED, NEGLECTED AND RAISED BY AN INSANE MOTHER. LEFT ALONE TO FIND HER WAY THROUGH LIFE, SHE TRIED GOING TO SOCIAL SERVICES IN THE 50'S, TO NO AVAIL. AFTER DISCOVERING HER TRUE IDENITY, I LOCATED HER IN SEATTLE AND WE BEGAN A FRIENDSHIP OF CORRESPONDING UNTIL CANCER TOOK HER LIFE. THE WALLS OF MUMFORD NEVER REVEALED HER TORTURED LIFE, SO CAROLYN WAS LEFT ALONE TO FIND HER PATH, SOMEWHAT SUCCESSFULLY. SHE NEVER MARRIED, NEVER FELT HER LIFE WAS COMPLETE, SADLY. KAREN (ROGERS) STARR