PEOPLE YOU SHOULD KNOW
BY LIESEL SCHMIDT
M
illions of people across the U.S. are uninsured, lacking the health care coverage that they so desperately need to afford the treatment they need to stay healthy—and oftentimes stay alive. For Laura Vendetti, being uninsured meant that her diagnosis of stage II breast cancer in September of 2018 brought her face-to-face with the reality that she might not be able to get the aggressive treatment that could save her life. And yet, the woman with the heart of a warrior and the soul of a diva never wavered in her belief that she would get through it and come out stronger the other side. “I have warrior DNA and was raised by WWII veterans,” says Vendetti. “I never doubted I had the discipline and fight to win. Thankfully, Vendetti gained the support of Victory Health Partners—which proved to be a crucial weapon in her arsenal. “They got me diagnosed immediately. But I was uninsured, so lived in silence with the tumor for four months,” she recalls. “Victory gave me hope by giving me an appointment and showed me dignity the moment I walked in. Ultimately, they brought me healing by getting me to an oncology team. I told them, ‘I will do anything, anytime, anywhere, and I happen to have public speaking skills!’ I owe them my life.” MAY 2022
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