Catherine Howard, a 31-year old breast cancer survivor from San Francisco, is headed to Capitol Hill today to urge lawmakers to pass health-care reform. So is Dave Penkava, a 64-year old from Asheboro, N.C. They’re among 31 people from across the country who have come to Washington, D.C., to add their voices to the intensifying health care debate.

"It’s important to remember there are real lives and families behind all the statistics and data that point to the need for reform," said Jim Guest, Consumers Union’s President, who will accompany the group on their rounds of lawmakers’ offices.

Indeed, their stories mirror those of millions of Americans. Catherine is more than $30,000 in debt because the health insurance she purchased didn’t cover large portions of her treatments, medicines, and hospitalizations. She has good coverage now, but her medical debt is a huge financial burden and she struggles to make ends meet.

Dave retired a few years back, but when the premium for his retiree health plan jumped from $126 a month to $1,000 a month he had to take a full-time job to get affordable coverage for him and his wife. He’ll have to work until age 69 until his wife qualifies for Medicare.