Joan Blalock, a former nurse, was desperate and in deep medical debt before she found Patient Advocation Foundation
She thought of taking her own life.
"Without them I know I'd be dead that someone would have found me I just could not go on."
Patient advocate foundation is based in Newport News but serves the needs of patients across the country.
Its website gets millions of hits - people looking for answers.
Their phone lines run at full tilt every day with patients who can't seem to manage the maze of medical bureaucracy.
The problems are many, and some case workers like Jamilla Williams handle a specialty like the challenges of Medicaid.
"Its just such a tedious process for them to do while they are going through this illness in order to get the assistance they need and that's why we're here."
If it looks festive here it's a party with a purpose - it's a training week with a Hawaiian theme to keep the staff focused and sharp.
The CEO and founder Nancy Davenport Ennis grew the organization from a handful of volunteers into a serious player on Capitol Hill that helped create content for health care reform.
"Each time we see a patient we know will lose their life soon if we don't solve the issue it gives you a moral mandate that says we must make this better for 300 million people in America."
It's the kind of goal that prompted caseworker Margie Griffin to leave her hospital career of 18 years to help people like Joan.
"I wanted to do more and I knew from day one since I've been here I'm in the right place to do that. Its just people helping people that makes a difference."
She thought of taking her own life.
"Without them I know I'd be dead that someone would have found me I just could not go on."
Patient advocate foundation is based in Newport News but serves the needs of patients across the country.
Its website gets millions of hits - people looking for answers.
Their phone lines run at full tilt every day with patients who can't seem to manage the maze of medical bureaucracy.
The problems are many, and some case workers like Jamilla Williams handle a specialty like the challenges of Medicaid.
"Its just such a tedious process for them to do while they are going through this illness in order to get the assistance they need and that's why we're here."
If it looks festive here it's a party with a purpose - it's a training week with a Hawaiian theme to keep the staff focused and sharp.
The CEO and founder Nancy Davenport Ennis grew the organization from a handful of volunteers into a serious player on Capitol Hill that helped create content for health care reform.
"Each time we see a patient we know will lose their life soon if we don't solve the issue it gives you a moral mandate that says we must make this better for 300 million people in America."
It's the kind of goal that prompted caseworker Margie Griffin to leave her hospital career of 18 years to help people like Joan.
"I wanted to do more and I knew from day one since I've been here I'm in the right place to do that. Its just people helping people that makes a difference."
