No one should have to choose between healing and surviving financially. It's time for real change.

My name is Shanise Pearce. I’m a mother, a survivor of Triple Negative Breast Cancer, and a fierce advocate for health equity. But behind the strength and determination it took to fight cancer was a quiet, agonizing battle with something just as dangerous: a broken system.

During my treatment, I wasn’t just fighting for my life. I was forced to fight my employer and insurance providers just to receive the basic rights and protections promised under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). My short-term and long-term disability benefits were denied and mishandled, despite clear medical documentation and eligibility. I was pushed to return to work before I was ready—before my body had fully healed—because my job and financial security were hanging by a thread.

And I’m not alone.

Every day, people across the country—those living with cancer, chronic illness, invisible disabilities, and mental health conditions—are being failed by the very systems meant to protect them. They are denied reasonable accommodations. They are stripped of income during treatment. They are left to drown in bureaucracy when they should be focused on healing.

This is not just my story. This is the story of thousands.

We’re calling on Congress, federal regulators, and state lawmakers to take immediate action:

1. Strengthen ADA enforcement to ensure all employers are held accountable for providing reasonable accommodations and upholding disability rights.
2. Mandate oversight and transparency from insurance companies when denying disability claims, especially for those actively in treatment for life-threatening illnesses.
3. Protect continuity of benefits during medical leave, including safeguards for those misclassified or penalized based on tenure or rehire status.
4. Include mental health support as a non-negotiable part of disability accommodations, particularly for patients experiencing PTSD, scanxiety, and trauma from long-term illnesses.

People with disabilities and chronic health conditions are not asking for special treatment. We are asking for dignity, protection, and a fair shot at survival.

This petition is not just for me. It’s for the breast cancer patient too scared to take leave. It’s for the father with MS forced out of his job. It’s for the young adult with lupus fighting denial after denial just to stay afloat.

We can do better. And we must.

Please sign and share this petition. Together, we can create a system that values healing, humanity, and the full protection of every person—no matter their diagnosis or disability.

#ReformTheSystem #ProtectDisabilityRights #SurvivorsDeserveBetter #DisabilityJustice #BreastCancerAdvocacy #TheAdvocatesTable