THE MEDICAL BANKING REPORT

Electronic Version | October 2008, Vol. 5, Number 4

Sleep With The Angels, Sister!

Behind The Scenes | My Tribute To My Sweet Sister and Co-Worker, Evelyn Casillas

By John Casillas, Founding Director, The Medical Banking Project

On October 8, MBProject faced its gravest crisis ever.

It didn’t come from the DC politicos or blue suits who think medical banking is a passing fad. And it didn't come from some in the healthcare establishment who smile when medical banking is discussed seriously as a national strategy to improve healthcare. None of these external forces have, or ever will, create a crisis for MBProject. We continue to grow as a community and a movement. We continue to receive growing recognition in government, commerce and academia.

Yet, on October 8 as I went through emails and noticed Evelyn wasn't around, the “heart, soul and vitality” of MBProject, something didn’t feel right. By lunchtime I was worried enough to drive to her home, knock on a few windows and then find a hammer to smash through the back door. I found my sweet sister Evelyn lying peacefully in bed. The next few hours are hard to remember. I called 911 and performed CPR until the emergency services arrived less than 3 minutes later. A constant flow of people came like waves, descending upon Ev’s humble home. All were helpful and empathetic. None could bring Ev back. My friend and sweet sister of 50 years was gone.

Yet Ev’s spirit lives on! It lives in the myriad and vibrant testimonies about her and what she did for others that reached us from countless friends all over the world. Family, friends and professional contacts flew in from Alaska, the islands and many other places to pay their last respects.

My sister served MBProject with all her might and soul. She cared deeply and passionately for our mission. She got mad at political inertia and rejoiced when we seemed to be getting through. She was a true soul mate in my journey to push medical banking from dream to reality. If not for her help, MBProject simply would not be. The early years were long and hard, and she knew about this time intimately and shared the burden. Her loss is practically unbearable. I loved her dearly and I felt that it might be best to simply close up shop and do something less challenging.

But then I thought of the mission – to convert digital savings into charitable resources. I thought of all the people we’ve already helped by carving out this niche industry, by facilitating a new generation of medical banking services that can be ubiquitously spread all over the world like rays of sunshine, helping everyone, everywhere. That’s exactly how people remember Evelyn – a helper who constantly and consistently spread cheer and joy. I honor her life and death by doing the same.

And so we push on against the odds, linking two broken systems – banking and healthcare – to build a better world and future for our families. We cannot stop or even step back. We must never give up. We must push on.

Sweet Ev was a singer. All her life she sang her way into people’s hearts. She had a dream one day to have her own ministry and on many occasions I sat in the audience spellbound by her enthusiasm and passion for the sound of music. Her ministry lives on through a “little church in the wildwood” where we are placing a plaque and getting a new sound system in her honor (The Evelyn Casillas Memorial Fund).

Ev and I spent many late nights pushing out the work. At the end of the night, Ev would breathe a sigh of relief as we finished our work and then she’d say goodbye and with her dimpled smile sing out to me – “Sleep with the angels brother!”

Well Ev, now its my turn: “I love you sweet sister! Sleep with the angels!”