HyeOctane

On December 20, 2007, 17 year-old Nataline Sarkisyan of Northridge passed away after twice being denied a liver transplant by her insurer, Cigna Health Corporation. In the face of a mass protest in front of Cigna offices in Los Angeles, the company finally agreed to cover her transplant–but it was too late.

Her tragic loss has served as a cornerstone in the debate over the troubled state of health care in the United States. It has become a part of the discourse in the presidential campaign, with John Edwards telling the story of Nataline and her family in order to illustrate the pressing need to take on the problems posed by the health insurance industry.

Nataline was an active member of the Armenian Youth Federation and a bright young student who was full of life. She will be truly missed by friends, family, and the community alike.