Guaranteed Healthcare

Julie Pierce

Young Husband, Father Dies After Denial of Cancer Treatments

"Tracy Dion Pierce, 37, of Mission, Kan., died on January 18, 2006, at home after a courageous battle with renal cell carcinoma (kidney cancer)," writes Tracy's widow, Julie Pierce. "Tracy was a journeyman carpenter with Local #61 Carpenter's District Council in Kansas City. He was diagnosed with cancer in 2004, but his cancer eventually spread to his liver, lungs, lymph nodes, adrenal gland, renal cavity, and his brain."

The story of Tracy's illness and death was featured in Michael Moore's documentary film, SiCKO, but for Julie and her son, Tracy, Jr., the horror of losing Tracy, Sr., and the insurance denials go on. Read more casualties

Julie recounts all of the treatments recommended by Tracy's doctors but ultimately denied by their insurance carrier – First Health Coventry – right down to the morphine he so desperately needed in his final days before he died at home.  "This sounds like just another statistic...but it's not.  Tracy was not.  Tracy Pierce was a father of a 14-year-old boy, a brother, a son, a friend, and he was my husband of 16 years!"

In 2007, Julie found out that because the cancer that killed her husband could also be genetic and be carried by their son, she would be wise to have Tracy, Jr., tested for the cancer marker that might indicate the need for aggressive screening in the future.  But even though their insurance carrier had been the subject of intense scrutiny, they still denied the genetic testing for Julie's son.  The testing was eventually done – but only after nurses raised the money need to cover the tests.

Just last week, Julie attended another vigil in Kansas City to remember her husband's death, and to continue the fight she promised Tracy she would never give up. "I never want another family to go through what we went through," Julie said.

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Sponsored by the California Nurses Association/National Nurses Organizing Committee

Eighty-two percent of Americans think the U.S. healthcare system should be fundamentally changed or completely rebuilt (Commonwealth Fund, Aug. 7, 2008). America's nurses know that only single-payer, improved and expanded Medicare for all will fix our broken system and the tragedy of our devastated families. HR 676, by U.S. Rep John Conyers, is the most comprehensive, cost effective way to achieve guaranteed healthcare for all.

For more information, or to contact this patient: Liz Jacobs, RN 510/273-2232.