Keith Olbermann Nicole D. Lamoureux, Executive Director

My email is a plea from a concerned citizen of South Carolina. I am asking on behalf of our many uninsured and under insured residents in need of your services. A former co-worker has been in the hospital with cancer because of his lack of health care. He like many people in our state live without health care insurance and no access to physicians. Our state is 46th out of 50 in health care. Many of our employed citizens can't afford health care coverage or work for an employer that does not offer insurance. These are not deadbeat or lazy people. They are waitresses, cab drivers, part-time employees, small businesses/employees, and unemployed citizens. The latest insult to the majority of people, the people struggling with health care costs, is Rep. Tim Scott's waste of a bill. In H.4171, he calls for the "THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HERBY "OPTS OUT" AND DECLINES TO HAVE THIS PUBLIC PLAN OPTION APPLY TO OR BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE." My fear is as unemployment rises in our state many more will be left without health care coverage. We need your clinic to sponsor a free clinic here in South Carolina. I have asked citizens to write your organization, our Representatives in Congress and SC State Legislature to join my efforts to get the medical help so many of our citizens need. I am willing to help raise the money to bring your wonderful organization to our state. Please consider my request to save thousands of lives here in South Carolina. Nicole please consider these numbers from a September 24th article in The State Newspaper (http://www.thestate.com/101/story/955860.html)

Nearly one in six South Carolina's don't have health insurance, according to new U.S. Census Bureau data.South Carolina had a 17.4 percent rate statewide. Texas, with a statewide average of 24.1 percent, was at the bottom of the heap. Massachusetts topped all states with 4.1 percent lacking health coverage.Columbia ranked 292th with a 16.6 percent uninsured rate. Charleston was 206th with 14.1 percent; Rock Hill, 352nd with 18.6 percent; and North Charleston, 481st with 25.1 percent.

Also here is a link to a grassroots video to illustrate the folks that need your help here in the Low Country of SC one of the poorest areas of the country. "I have to sacrifice me." That is the way one Charleston, SC area resident describes her inability to pay for health care insurance. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KoFp_7US1Ts&feature=player_embedded

These are REAL South Carolina residents who need your help--Can you help them? Will you help them?

Thank you for your time and I hope my campaign to get your services here proves fruitful. Shawn Mitchell

Here are the links to National Association of Free Clinics: http://www.freeclinics.us/ Nicole D. Lamoureux, Executive Director National Association of Free Clinics 1800 Diagonal Road, Suite 600 Alexandria VA 22314 phone: 703-647-7427 fax: 866-875-3827 nlamoureux@freeclinics.us

MSNBC's Countdown email address: Countdown@MSNBC.com

Please let's make this viral. Send letters to NAFC, MSNBC, YOUR CONGRESSMAN and SC Government Officals NOW!

"We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek." President Barack H. Obama