Marilyn Clement dies

NEW YORK — Marilyn Clement, founder and National Coordinator of Healthcare-NOW!, died Aug. 3 at age 74. Ms. Clement had a decades-long career in social justice activism.

Ms. Clement’s leadership, vision and passion helped to strengthen the recognition of health-care as a human right throughout the nation, according to statement about her death from Healthcare-NOW!

Clement

Ms. Clement’s career included advocacy for civil rights, women's rights, human rights and peace. She worked with a variety of organizations, including the Southern Christian Leadership Conference, the Women's International League for Peace & Freedom, the Center for Constitutional Rights, The United Methodist Church, and the Interreligious Foundation for Community Organization.

Ms. Clement served as the National Coordinator for Healthcare-NOW! until her death. Doctors diagnosed her with multiple myeloma in June 2008. She stepped back from her leadership role at Healthcare-NOW! to undergo treatments. A group of nine persons formed a Steering Committee at her request to assume leadership during her illness.

At a June 7 event at Judson Memorial Church, Ms. Clement's consistent optimism rang loud and clear as she declared: "We are on the verge of winning something that is so desperately needed for all of our people. … Love to all of you. Keep up the fight. … And we are going to win single-payer health care."

Healthcare-NOW!’s statement said it recognizes the great loss that Ms. Clement’s death represents to everyone in the single-payer health-care and human-rights communities. “Our resolve to continue and strengthen the movement she started is stronger than ever,” the statement declared. “As we mourn her loss, we also celebrate the amazing gifts she has given to us all.”

The family requested that donations in Ms. Clement's memory should go to the Center for Constitutional Rights or to Healthcare-NOW!.

For a more detailed statement on her life with comments from those who knew her, go to Marilyn Clement.