'I don't call it out because I still need you to be my doctor.' Local woman explains ableism in healthcare

By Evan Dawson,

Published May 13, 2026 at 4:09 PM EDT

Three people wearing headphones sit at a table in a radio talk studio: a woman at left has shoulder-length brown hair and is wearing glasses, a grey blazer and an orange blouse; a woman at center has shoulder-length dark hair and is wearing a cream cardigan sweater over a black shirt; a man at right has very short dark hair and is wearing glasses, a navy hooded sweatshirt with white lettering, blue jeans and sneakers.

1 of 2 — Noelle E.C. Evans and Sarah Murphy Abbamonte with host Evan Dawson on "Connections"

Noelle E.C. Evans and Sarah Murphy Abbamonte with host Evan Dawson on "Connections with Evan Dawson" on Wednesday, May 13, 2026

George Yeadon / WXXI News

A woman wearing glasses and a green t-shirt sits in front of a microphone.

2 of 2 — Jeiri Flores

Jeiri Flores

WXXI News

A local woman says she learned early on that being understood in a doctor’s office isn’t guaranteed.

Jeiri Flores has cerebral palsy, and as she told WXXI's Noelle Evans in a recent episode of the Move to Include Podcast, her healthcare experience has meant constantly navigating Medicaid limits, confusing private insurance, and providers who don’t have experience with disabled bodies.

This hour, we bring you the full podcast episode, where Flores shares her story and her experience advocating for her needs.

In studio:

Noelle E. C. Evans, host of the Move to Include Podcast and education reporter/producer for WXXI News
Sarah Murphy Abbamonte, project manager for Move to Include

This story is reported from WXXI's Inclusion Desk.