For me, the heartwarming bit was his recognition of how patients have been blamed for their ongoing ill health. He made the comparison with cancer patients- the notion of a ‘good attitude’ improving cancer outcomes has long been discredited. The group were challenged, inspired and motivated by his assertion that the treatment of patients amounted to a civil rights issue, and would be addressed as such in the US.
The so called ‘dangerous activist nutcases’ looked at each other in some surprise. Did he mean us? Well, actually, yes, he did, and he should have. We sat up straighter, we who are used to being ignored, blamed or ridiculed. We held our heads up and wondered what we could do about it, this attitude that is a societal problem and not a medical one.