About Us
Our names are Morgan Hough, Sabina Yampolsky, and Oleana Rivas. We are a group of students at Duke University, committed to making a lasting impact on the local Raleigh-Durham community. Having called North Carolina home for the past four years, we share a common goal: alleviate medical debt and foster stronger connections between Duke students and the surrounding community. Motivated by a genuine desire to give back to the community that has played a significant role in our lives, we aim to raise awareness about the real-world challenges that so many individuals face. As aspiring healthcare providers, we believe a patient’s first thought should always be “How will I get better?” and never, “How will I pay?”.
Undue Medical Debt Duke Mission Statement:
Our group, in support of the mission of Undue Medical Debt, aims to end medical debt in North Carolina. We organize annual charity campaigns that empower donors to abolish oppressive medical debt. For every dollar donated, a hundred dollars of debt is wiped out, targeting and transforming the outcomes of individuals affected by the healthcare system. Our focus is not just relief but also awareness—spreading the word on the emotional, mental, and economic toll of medical debt. We educate Duke students on the intricacies of the U.S. healthcare financial system, engaging them in community outreach with local leaders. By addressing both the symptoms and root causes, we aim to alleviate distress for North Carolinians, emphasizing the disproportionate impact on minority and disadvantaged households. Our goal is not just debt relief but a systemic change toward a more equitable and affordable healthcare financing system.
Our Goal
Our goal for this campaign is to raise $10,000, and because every dollar contributed will result in the forgiveness of $100 in medical debt, our $10,000 will forgive $1,000,000 in debt. You can make a meaningful difference in the lives of your neighbors, friends, and fellow community members by alleviating the financial strain caused by medical expenses. Together, we can wipe out medical debt and build a healthier and more supportive North Carolina.
Why does this matter?
Nearly 7 in 10 U.S. adults say they receive medical bills they cannot afford. Many are forced to delay paying the bill, put it on a credit card, or challenge the bill. Individuals may not be eligible for benefits like Medicaid, and they may have insurance, but a single trip to the emergency room can result in debt from high deductibles and copayments. Outstanding medical debt may affect your ability to apply for loans and housing.
We understand that this issue is not just about numbers on a spreadsheet; it’s about the real people, families, and communities facing financial hardship due to medical expenses. We partnered with Undue Medical Debt to make a difference.
How does it work?
When you donate, Undue Medical Debt utilizes advanced data analytics to identify households facing the most pressing financial struggles—those earning less than 4 times the federal poverty level or with medical debts constituting 5% or more of their annual income.
Undue Medical Debt strategically acquires the medical debt in large bundles at a significant discount, often millions of dollars at a time. This means that for every dollar you donate, approximately 100 times that amount in medical debt is forgiven.
They operate efficiently to ensure that your generosity has a profound impact on the lives of those in need. Recipients experience the incredible relief of being freed from medical debt, and the process incurs no tax consequences or penalties.
Thank you for supporting our campaign,
Duke Students Who Want Change
