First do no harm, says the Hippocratic oath

Doctors make this pledge when they’re given a white coat

Then why did my grandpa not get his needed test?

“His insurance wouldn’t approve it” is their explanation best.

Some tests aren’t covered, they said, when you’re age is high

That doesn’t make sense, I thought, can you tell me why?

Just because he’s old doesn’t mean he’s not a person.

Shouldn’t you do the test, so his condition doesn’t worsen?

Healthcare is a human right! I will yell that here and there,

Age should not determine the quality of your care

Older folks have value, and wisdom, and knowledge

Or don’t they teach you that when you go to medical college?

So approve the darn test, insurance, do the darn test doc

Healthcare is a human right! Especially for my Pop Pop.

My aunt went to her doctor for a scratchy throat,

Something just ain’t right she said, I just know it.

It’s nothing, it’s mono, it’s strep, he said, it’s in your mind,

Gaslighting is a thing he proved, as he brushed her aside.

Sarcoma of the throat, they said, the biopsy proved,

After a year of gaslighting, they finally found the truth.

Healthcare is a human right! I will yell that here and there,

Female gaslighting should not determine the quality of one’s care.

Patients should be taken seriously, regardless of their gender,

A woman knows her body too, so don’t offend her.

When she complains of symptoms, the doctor should listen.

If not he might end up a fool, and the diagnosis will be hidden

Gaslighting has no place in medicine, that is very clear.

Healthcare is a human right! For anyone you hold dear.

My uncle lost his job and insurance when my cousin got sick,

He had to pay the medical bills himself, stacked 5 inches thick.

This was no ordinary illness, and these weren’t no ordinary costs.

Autoimmune disease is no joke, it can cause significant loss.

The bills were more than the mortgage, my uncle then complained

“How can I feed my family when our budget is so strained?”

Healthcare is a human right! I will yell it from state to state.

Illness should not bankrupt you, no matter how much you make.

Healthcare shouldn’t be split into the haves and have nots

Whether you’re on the street or you have a dozen yachts

Healthcare is a human right! Not every illness has a cure,

But your wallet size shouldn’t matter, that I know for sure.

In conclusion, so there’s no confusion….

Life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, as the Declaration cries,

Healthcare is a human right! There’s a mantra we should live by.

Healthcare shouldn’t be affected by your gender or wealth or age.

With that, Ladies and Gentlemen, I will now depart this stage.