Barbarito Jimenez is doing his best to secure a better future for his son, but it's not easy.
Last year Barbarito was diagnosed with Kidney cancer. With a wife and child on the way and no family healthcare, Barbarito had no choice but to continue working night and day to make ends meet and hope that he could save enough money to cover the costs of medicines not covered by the state's public health care plan nor his hospital’s charity care. Luckily, Barbarito's tumor was confined to his kidney and after one year of chemotherapy and a surgery to remove his kidney, he is on his way to recovery. Unfortunately, now he owes his hospital over $4,000.
Like most janitors, Barbarito works full-time and still earns only $17,000/year, which barely covers the cost of rent, food and utilities in San Diego and barely covers the cost of his son's prescriptions. Shortly after Barbarito underwent the surgery that saved his life, his son was born with a kidney deformity that requires daily prescriptions and necessitates monthly check-ups and tests. As Barbarito does not have family healthcare, his son is currently covered under CARE First, the state children's insurance program that covers only consultations – not prescriptions or tests.
For 8 years Barbarito and his wife have worked hard to keep the Valentine Building clean and open for business, yet they still cannot afford the basic living necessities for themselves or for their child, let alone for the future.
Today Barbarito and his wife are working hard and fighting to win a better contract—one with wages to raise a family and employer-paid quality healthcare so that their son can have a chance at life without the strife of poverty.
"I worry about my health and the health of my son. I've been told by the hospital that unless I pay the full amount they will not treat me should a problem arise in the future – and that is frightening, especially when considering my cancer could come back."