Maria tells her story.

Abstract

As evidenced by the Latino Health Task Force Report, Latinos living in North Carolina face numerous challenges when seeking healthcare services. Those of us who have had the privilege to serve Latinos in clinics and hospitals have been witnesses to the drama that unfolds every day for these families. Navigating through our healthcare system can be a very taxing process for Latino immigrants. In order to fully understand these difficulties, sometimes it's best to let the people tell their story. It is with this thought in mind that we bring you this commentary piece. María and Jesús live in North Carolina. María tells her story to a nurse who speaks Spanish. Although these characters are entirely fictional, the events described here--and many others like them--have taken place all across the state and the country. Any similarities to actual people living or deceased is purely coincidental.