From South Carolina to Sacramento we’ve seen first hand the tragedies hospital-acquired infections can create for a family. During our recent visit to the California state capitol we met Cindy, who discovered she’d contracted MRSA (Methicillin Resistant Staphyloccocus Aureus) after giving birth to her second child.

She can’t say with absolute certainty where she picked up the infection – during her C-section or before arriving at the hospital – but she is certain that hospitals can do more to prevent the spread of this deadly bacteria. Now Cindy advocates for patients to be screened upon arriving at the hospital with a simple nose swab. This measure will help hospitals identify infected patients and allow them to take additional steps in isolating and treating those found to have MRSA.

Hospitals have a standardized set of steps they take when patients first arrive in the emergency room. We’ve all been through this; first they check your blood pressure, then your temperature. Why not take a simple third step and check for a deadly disease that is spreading rapidly through our hospitals? Activists such as Cindy and the many others fighting for safer hospitals ask this question of our lawmakers and advocate for legislation that will make screening mandatory.

And though it’s hard to call her one of the lucky ones, Cindy has for now beat the deadly infection and lives a healthy life. Six weeks ago the Cover America Tour stopped in on a July 4th patient safety day where we met Jimmy Toolen who continues to battle this infection and Diane Parker whose husband died from MRSA. “My children almost lost their mother,” Cindy told us. She’s fighting hard to help spare other families from such a preventable tragedy.

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