GAY ELLEN BROWN'S TESTIMONY - 4/13/10

Gay had written testimony in her hands and read it word for word on April 13th before the IL Senate Judiciary Committee. I am a witness to that since I was present at the hearing. I have permission from Gay and her husband to place it on my Blog site. I respect their privacy so I have not included Gay's date of birth, their home address, phone # or email address. But other than that in its entirety:

April 13, 2010

To the Members of the Illinois Senate Judicary Committee:

My name is Gay Ellen Brown, I am a wife, mother of three daughters and grandma to Jacquline, my name sake, because I was born Jacquline Lenn Thompson on _________ in Chicago, Illinois and I am also an adoptee.

I flew in from New Jersey today to make my plea to you to stop the HB5428, it is unfair and unconstitutional to all adoptees born in Illinois.

My 51 year journey of self discovery of who and what I am came to a grinding halt last year because I wsas diagnosed with pre-cancerous conditions which required surgeries. My surgeon felt it necessary at this point in time to test me for the BRRCA gene for breast and ovarian cancer, however, my health insurance denied coverage for this very costly test because I can't prove anyone in my immediate family has this cancer and that I am not of a high risk group such as Swedish or Hungarian, but how do I know if I am? If I do not know my own heritage. If I had my original birth certificate I would know.

Growing up I always wanted to know answers to the questions every adoptee has. But today those answers could save my life or give me a better quality of life. I am also a birth mother who CHOSE to keep my daughters and I can't even protect them from possible inherited conditions that I may be passing down to them.

The discrimination we endure as adoptees must stop now, and our basic civil and human rights must be restored. Our original birth certificates belong to us and not to the state of Illinois.

Thank you for your time and consideration into this matter.