“To be without health insurance is to have fibroid tumors (one being the size of a small soccer ball) in your stomach and not being able to pay for the treatment needed.”

That's one example of the kinds of notes members of Congress will soon be reading from Arkansans.

J. Langston of Little Rock wrote the note that is part of the “No More Band-Aids: Cure Health Care Now” campaign that kicked off today.

Representatives from health and community organizations unveiled hundreds of handwritten notes from Arkansans urging the state’s Congressional delegation to keep real people in mind as they debate health reform.

With letters and statements spread before them, the advocates and concerned individuals asked that every Arkansan concerned about health reform send in a Band-Aid stuck to a personal note about their health experiences. Volunteers with the campaign read from the letters and urged others to write down their own stories and send them in.

Angelia Buford wrote that she lost her insurance after being on medical leave since December: “Now I have $400 a month in medications and doctors I can’t go to because I am 36 years old and have no options for coverage.”

Lesa Kilpatrick of Warren said she supported health care for all if it meant “being able to go to the doctor without worrying about having to choose between one’s health and groceries for a week.”

The notes and letters will be delivered to Arkansas’ U.S. senators and representatives.

The campaign was organized a few weeks ago by Arkansans concerned that the health reform movement in Washington, D.C. lacked the voices of real people. The organization’s goal is to: “persuade the Arkansas delegation to vote for progressive health care reform to deliver meaningful health care reform that works for people.”

The volunteers chose “No More Band Aids” to emphasize that the health system cannot be cured with temporary patches. Real reform that helps real people is needed now, they said.

Click here to visit the campaign’s website for instructions on how to get your own Band-Aids and letters delivered to your representatives. The site also displays some of the messages collected.