Press Conference: Wed 8/7, 12p - #LVhungerstrike Relocates

PRESS CONFERENCE
Wednesday, August 7 at 12 noon
Christ Advocate Hospital
4440 West 95th Street, Oak Lawn

Contact: Father Jose Landaverde 872-203-4310

Hunger Strikers Relocate to Christ Advocate Medical Center: We will Occupy Until you Meet our Demands!

A group of immigrants in the second week of a hunger strike against discriminatory health care practices that deny undocumented and uninsured patients a place on organ transplant waiting lists. Due to pressure from the hunger strikers, University of Illinois at Chicago Medical Center and Northwestern Memorial Hospital agreed to begin negotiations. Now, Hunger Strikers turn their attention to the next target, Christ Medical Center. They will move their camp and occupy the public space in front of Christ Advocate Medical Center until the hospital agrees to a meeting and begins a negotiation process.

"We will not allow Christ Medical Center to continue their unethical and immoral operation by rejecting people without documents and the poor" stated Father Landaverde, one of the hunger strikers.

Christ Advocate has a history of discriminatory practices against poor and undocumented immigrants. This goes far beyond denying life-saving treatment based on immigration status or ability to pay. In 2010, Christ Advocate forcefully "repatriated" to Mexico Quelino Ojeda Jimenez, a quadriplegic patient. "When a supposedly Christian Hospital is responsible for deporting the undocumented and leaving the poor to die, all our communities should unite to hold them accountable" added Landaverde.

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Show solidarity with the Hunger Strike For Health by calling in to Christ Advocate Hospital tomorrow. Call Ms. Stephanie Johson (Director of Public Affairs) and tell the president to meet the demands of the hunger strikers.

Phone number: 630-929-6601

SUPPORT THE HUNGER STRIKERS
- Join the strikers for an hour, or more! stay overnight!
- bring water, gatorade; blankets or sleeping pads; sign-making supplies
- check the event page often for updates, especially for a call-in campaign
see solidarity pages here:
www.tinyurl.com/strike4care
www.tinyurl.com/strike4health

Background

A group of 14 people are on hunger strike because hospitals refuse to put undocumented patients in need of organ transplants on their waiting lists. Hunger strikers include critically ill patients and loved ones. They are camping out at the gates of Christ Advocate Hospital because the administration has refused to speak with them.