The Education of Dee Dee Ricks is the story of two very different young women, their unlikely friendship and their personal struggles to beat breast cancer. Dee Dee has plenty of money and gets the best possible care. Cynthia ultimately dies from her breast cancer because it was too advanced when she started treatment. The film lays bare the great disparity in health care between the rich and poor in America. Cynthia's story is emblematic of the millions of poor people in this country who are uninsured and fighting a catastrophic illness. Access can mean the difference between life and death, as it did for Cynthia. Health care is not a medical issue—it's a moral one. What does it say of us as a society if we let people die because they are poor? My great hope is the film highlights the injustice and inspires people to work for change.