Horror stories from overcrowded hospitals creating new breed of patient activist
Jamie-Lee Ball doesn’t plan to quietly let her nightmarish five days in the hallways of the Brampton Civic Hospital fade from public attention.
The 25-year-old is taking her place at the vanguard of a new movement among patients, hoping to draw attention to hospital overcrowding across Canada.
Like others who’ve gone public to describe indignities suffered in crowded hospitals this year, Ball is becoming an activist — starting petitions, complaining to Ontario’s patient ombudsman, and pressuring politicians for improvements.
“It’s overwhelming the response I’ve received,” she said in a telephone interview. “A lot of people are realizing they can share their stories, and their hard-earned tax dollars spent on the health system mean they should have the basic necessities.”