Profile: Angela
Facing chronic pain with no health insurance
When Angela lost her job and her health insurance, she could not afford the specialists she required to treat her chronic back pain. Her pain became unbearable, and she was beginning to lose hope.
“I thought I’d never get my life back…Project Access Northwest gave me hope when I had none left.”
—Angela* , Care Coordination, Orthopedics
Angela*, a 48-year-old resident of rural King County, has always been independent — working full-time at a local manufacturing plant, caring for her aging parents, and volunteering at her local food bank.
But earlier this year, when her company downsized, Angela lost her job — and with it, her health insurance.
For years, she’d been living with severe, chronic pain in her lower back as a result of an auto accident. Without insurance, she couldn’t afford the specialist visits or the imaging her doctor had recommended.
The pain became so intense that she struggled to get out of bed, much less apply for new jobs. She told us she felt “invisible” — like she was slipping through the cracks.
Then she was referred to Project Access Northwest.
Within weeks, our care coordination team matched Angela with a volunteer orthopedic specialist. She finally received the diagnostic imaging and treatment plan she needed — at no cost to her.
Today, Angela is back on her feet, rebuilding her strength, and even interviewing for new positions.
“I thought I’d never get my life back,” she said. “Project Access Northwest gave me hope when I had none left.”
*Name and some biographical details altered to protect client privacy.