FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: April 4, 2008
CONTACT: Marcus Mrowka, 202-531-0689
NM Senate Candidate Rep. Tom Udall “Walks A Day in the Shoes” of CIR/SEIU Doctor
Albuquerque, NM— As part of SEIU’s program to ensure that candidates running for political office experience firsthand what life is like for working people, today U.S. Senate candidate Rep. Tom Udall walked a day in the shoes of Committee of Interns and Residents/SEIU member Dr. Elizabeth Burpee, a resident at the University of New Mexico Hospital. After lunch with Burpee and other residents, Udall assisted Burpee in caring for her patients at the UNM family clinic—assisting in check ups, taking patients to get lab work completed, and talking with the attending physician and social worker about patients’ conditions.
“Many of the patients I care for lack health coverage or a way to pay for the medication they need,” said Burpee. “It’s important that politicians like Representative Udall walk a day in my shoes so they understand how difficult it is to care for people with severe illnesses who have no way to afford the treatments or medicine they need to get better.”
Burpee is one of 500 residents and interns at the University of New Mexico who united with CIR/SEIU in 2006 to win affordable health care for themselves and their families and a stronger voice in patient care.
“Residents often work 80 hours a week and perform some of the most vital care patients receive at the hospital,” said Burpee. “I told Representative Udall that we go into medicine and work these long hours to help people but we need real health care reform if we are going to keep our communities healthy.”
Udall is the fifth Senate candidate to walk a day in the shoes of an SEIU member. SEIU members across the country are inviting candidates for races from Mayor to Governor to experience firsthand what it’s like to work and raise a family in America. Current and former presidential candidates Senator Biden, Senator Clinton, Senator Dodd, Senator Edwards, Senator Obama and Governor Richardson, Maine Senate candidate Representative Tom Allen, and Minnesota Senate candidates Al Franken, Jack Nelson-Pallmeyer, and former candidate Mike Ciresi have participated.
You can watch videos of candidates walking a day in the shoes of SEIU members at www.WalkADayInMyShoes2008.org.
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With 1.9 million members, SEIU is the fastest-growing union in North America. Focused on uniting workers in three sectors to improve their lives and the services they provide, SEIU is the largest health care union, including hospitals, nursing homes, and home care; the largest property services union, including building cleaning and security; and the second largest public employee union.