Poop Strong Takes It To Twitter

A few months back I blogged about a 31 year-old PhD student who has gone medically bankrupt while battling stage 4 colon cancer. Arijit is still fighting the good fight, and man did he bring it to the folks at Aetna yesterday! One follower, Jen Wang, was kind enough to storify the entire exchange, which I encourage you to check out. Health insurance is a maddening industry in this country, and Arijit has done a great job calling Aetna out on their hypocrisy and the ways they've failed him as a patient. Even though I'm lucky enough to have one of the better insurers around, having to make every professional decision in life based on whether or not I'll have health care has been a huge hindrance to my life's goals. The conversation about Big Insurance and coverage denial is an important one, so go read the thread already!

Poop Strong!

Meet Arijit.

Arijit is a 31 year-old PhD student, currently undergoing treatment for stage IV colon cancer. A friend whose husband went to college with him passed along the link to his website, poopstrong.org. I hope you will visit and cross-post to your friends.

In the past year alone Arijit's medical costs have maxed out his insurance provider's lifetime limit, presenting him with the threat of medical bankruptcy. Although he hopes to regain coverage in about six months, treatments in the interim could cost as much as $100,000. To offset costs Arijit has gotten creative by designing "Poop Strong" and "Arijit Loves Me" t-shirts, as well as other merchandise which he sells on his website. Should he receive funds in excess of his medical bills, they will be donated to the University of Arizona Cancer Center Patient Assistant Fund.

I absolutely love Arijit's designs and his sense of humor in the face of what I can only imagine is a thoroughly draining experience. I definitely intend to get myself some Poop Strong merch! Please check out the Poop Strong home page to read more about Arijit and peruse the goods.