On April 21st Fearless Leading by the Youth (FLY) is stepping up our trauma center campaign. Please join us to fight for the human right to health care.

WHAT:
ACTION FOR A SOUTH SIDE TRAUMA CENTER

WHERE/WHEN:
Thursday April 21st
March starts: 2:30pm at 61st and Cottage Grove
Press conference: 3:30pm at 58th and Mayland (outside U of C Medical Center)

WHY?
There is not a single level 1 adult trauma center on the south side. U of C Medical Center is the best positioned hospital to provide one. The President of the hospital agreed to meet with us but then backed out THE DAY BEFORE. Meanwhile people continue to die because there are no trauma centers.

HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Download a flier at www.stopchicago.org/fliers/april21march.pdf and help spread the word!

Background:
We lost one of our founders, Damian Turner, on August 15th, 2010. It was not just the stray bullet that killed him. Damian, a youth leader in the struggle for human rights, was a victim of the system he was fighting against.

Damian was killed by the racist health care system that has left the south side without any level 1 trauma centers because it is the greed of providers such as the U of C Medical Center - which was four blocks from where he was shot - rather than the need of people that determines where people get care. So Damian was taken 10 miles away to Northwestern Hospital where he died.

U of C Medical Center closed their trauma center in 1988 because it was losing them $1.5million/year. They get close to $60 million / year in tax breaks and are building a new $700+ million research building. We intend to make sure that the UCMC, as the most well-resourced hospital on the south side, gives back to our community and fills the gap in trauma care.

So far we have...
-Marched on Damian's birthday from where he was shot to the U of C Medical Center.
-Done a "die-in" on the U of C campus where over a hundred people with (fake) blood-stained shirts fell down chanting "how can you ignore, we're dying at your door"
-Held a mock funeral outside the U of C MLK celebration to commemorate all those who have died for lack of trauma centers
-Done a teach-in attended by over 100 people about the lack of trauma centers on the south side
-Joined with the UCMC nurses in their fight for better conditions at the hospital and more care for the community
-Been covered in the New York Times, received support from the Sun Times Editorial Board, and been mentioned on the floors of Congress.