Pagans in Need
I just recently received a letter from someone in the pagan community and found its' contents very disturbing. It was the inspiration for this page. I wanted to be able to get the information out to as many individuals that I could and thought that this would be the best way to do it. Please tell as many individuals about this as you can. This man needs our help, it seems that noone else is willing to help him.
Greetings,
October 19, 1997 a Pagan fell down. More specifically, a Native American Teacher and Craftsman named Don WaterHawk slipped off a plank while helping a friend renovate his house. In doing so, he dislocated his right elbow, shattered the radial cuff , and broke the tip of the ulna. Here on the East Coast of the US where this list is based, Don is a much beloved member of our Pagan and Native American Communities. Since our list now reaches Pagans in 41 States and 16 different Countries, we realize that he may not be known to many of you. Please understand that Don is a very special man to us here. Each year he travels from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast sharing his wares, and his wisdom at various Events and Gatherings.
He is the kind of man that always has the time to help someone in need. One of his most recognizable features is the beautiful Macaw, Kokopeli, that travels with him on his shoulder. You can imagine our collective sadness here when we learned of his accident.
Word spread quickly and the "White Healing Light" started flying! It is just now, in January however, that the full scope of this tragedy is being realized. Don WaterHawk may permanently lose the use of his right arm, BECAUSE HE CAN'T PAY TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS TO THE HOSPITAL IN ADVANCE! Currently there are still numerous unstable bone fragments surrounding the site of the injury, inflicting continuing damage to the muscle, tendons, ligaments and nerves of the elbow region. Every minute he waits for surgery, more damage is done. Due to the lack of insurance, Don has been unable to afford the surgery he needs to remove the bone fragments and stabilize the site. This Artist and Craftsman may lose his livelihood because he is walking a Pagan Path, and the average Pagan Path does not have insurance vendors set up along the roadside.
This should be criminal, but it is not. The hospital is allowed to refuse Don the surgery he so desperately needs (as they have done for 3 months now) unless he has cash up front. According to the powers that be, Don makes "to much money to qualify for medicaid". Like so many Pagans, Don makes enough doing what he loves to get by, by NOT enough to pay the astronomical insurance rates charged the self employed.
Don is fortunate enough to know a good surgeon who has offered to perform the surgery now, and wait to collect any fees until Don is able to pay, but Don must still be able to pay the hospital and anesthesiologist fees in advance. According to the surgeon, these fees will range in the neighborhood of $25,000 to $35, 000. This does not include post-operative rehabilitation and recovery costs.
At this moment, lack of insurance and a cutthroat capitalistic hospital system are Don's problem, but at any moment more then 50% of the readers of this email could find themselves in the same situation. Too many of us are "the working poor", WAY too many. Medical costs have consistently spiraled upward, and public health care funds have been systematically cut over the past 10 years. Community Service Organizations, Churches, etc. are struggling to take up the slack.
Here on the East Coast, we have a Pagan Traumatic Medical Costs Fund being set up and administered by
Crow & Becky Swimsaway
The Church of Earth Healing
6560 SR. 356
New Marshfield, OH 45766
e mail: healing@frognet.net
Right now this fund has only a tiny fraction (about $500.00) of the thousands it needs to help Don WaterHawk. Anyone kindly willing to donate towards Don's surgery should make checks payable to the Church of Earth Healing and mail them to the above address.
Both the WaterHawk's and the Church of Earth Healing hope that this fund will continue to grow and exist long after Don's current medical needs are met. We have no choice, as a Community, we must do something, who knows who's next?
If you are interested in any of the various health care reform bills languishing in different committees check out:
it will tell you more about the sad state of health care then you really wanted to know.
Blessings,
Betsy
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