The Esther and Isadore Kesten Memorial Lectureship was established in 1973 by Alan Davis, son of Sophie and Leonard Davis, in memory of his grandparents. The funds from this endowed lectureship allow the USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology and the Andrus Research Center to annually honor an individual whose research in gerontology has contributed significantly to our understanding of the aging process.  The award is designed to recognize prominent scholars in fields related to aging. Seeman joins the ranks of such distinguished Kesten awardees as Nathan Shock, Robert Butler, Lauren Carstensen, and John Rowe.

When Julia Walsh, USC Leonard Davis School of Gerontology Applied Legal and Regulatory Issues in Aging instructor, wrote a letter to President Obama explaining why she appreciated the Affordable Care Act, she may not have expected anything in return.  However, after describing the progress that has been made in improving access to healthcare.gov and highlighting the importance of the new law, the President used Walsh’s story as an example of the impact the Affordable Care Act can have, even on those who already had health insurance.

After describing that earlier this year she received two significant medical diagnoses, the President quoted Walsh’s letter. “I have a lot of things to worry about.  But thanks to the Affordable Care Act there are lots of things I do not have to worry about…like whether there will be a lifetime cap on benefits, or whether my treatment will bankrupt my family.  I can’t begin to tell you how much that peace of mind means.”

Although Walsh had health insurance, the President explained, with the law’s ban on lifetime care limits she will no longer face the decision between caring for her children and getting the treatment she needs. Click here to view the speech.