Hey there. This is an arm and a leg, a show about the cost of health care. I'm Dan Weisman.

And we're going to do something different today. We're going back to one of the very first

stories I ever did for this show. I went back and listened to it recently and I thought there is no

story I'd rather share right now with as many people as possible. If only I had a

podcast. Oh wait. Yeah because if you've been listening, you know we've been talking a lot about financial

self-defense, the nuts and bolts of fighting back against unreasonable medical bills,

and you've probably noticed a theme that keeps coming up again and again.

It takes a ton of endurance, perseverance.

It takes a lot.

And if you've been living in this world this year, you know living through times like this, that takes a lot of endurance too.

The stakes feel really high. Big chunks of the country are on fire in more ways than one.

So I've got a story about someone who endured and endured and endured

a lot of suffering a lot of uncertainty sometimes life and death and who took it

all on who kept going. She's also someone who took an incredible sacrifice to save her family from going under because of medical bills.

And here's the thing.

By making those particular sacrifices and taking on the challenges, the work that came with them.

She helped change the course of history in a way that seems particularly relevant right now

when we're in the middle of a high stakes presidential election.

So we're going to play you the story of Laura Derek, one of the people I admire most.

If you've heard it before, they find it hits a little different now. It did for me.

And afterwards we've got something new. I caught up with Laura last week. It was a great conversation.

So here we go.

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