“I fear my child being erased”

“I fear my child being erased—not in some abstract sense, but in the very real way that happens when people like my son are denied the care they need to survive. Without access to medical care, his body is left vulnerable, his pain ignored, his existence questioned. It’s not just about health—it’s about dignity, safety, and the ability to be seen as fully human.

When care is withheld, it sends a clear message: you don’t matter enough. You’re not worth saving. That erasure is terrifying. It’s not just the need that goes unmet—it’s the silence that follows when systems built to protect you decide you’re not part of the equation.

I want to live without the constant fear that my son's wellbeing is negotiable. I want to know that if my son cries out in pain, someone will listen—not just because of luck, but because he deserves to be heard, to be treated, to survive.” — Nikki Cowger, parent