Five years ago, a woman named Edith Childs proved that one voice can change the world.

In 2007, Edith got her neighbors pumped up for Barack Obama’s campaign stop with five words: “Fired up! Ready to go!”

Watch this video to hear Edith and the President describe how her impromptu cheer—for a tiny crowd in small-town South Carolina—became the campaign’s unofficial catchphrase across the country.

On Saturday March 31st, volunteers gathered for a Women for Obama phone banking event in Greenville!

Women For Obama were hard at work making calls on Thursday at our Charleston and Columbia offices to engage and inform their neighbors about the Affordable Care Act. Local volunteers spoke with supporters of the President and health care reform. It was a great chance for us to connect with fellow voters about the benefits that the Affordable Care Act provides as well as the economic implications and impact to them and the nation.

Check out the photos of our volunteers in action!

Stay updated and learn about events and volunteer opportunities with us @OFA_SC !

Eight years ago, Eric H. was diagnosed with reduced kidney function, requiring immediate dialysis. Overall, he was healthy but now faced extensive medical expenses. Having the stigma of a pre-existing condition was a great concern for Eric and his family, as it made it difficult to purchase health insurance. Like millions of Americans, when President Obama signed the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act into law, Eric felt a huge sense of relief that his current medical condition wouldn’t prevent him from acquiring quality healthcare coverage he could afford.

As the Supreme Court debates healthcare reform this week, we asked Eric a few questions about his experiences with the Affordable Care Act and his support for President Obama.

Because the Affordable Care Act improved the Medicare Part D coverage gap, or “donut hole,” I now automatically receive a 50-percent discount on my very expensive prescription medications. That’s an important savings for me and my family.

People with pre-existing conditions should be able to get affordable health insurance and prescription drug coverage without discriminatory practices – like gender discrimination that is often embedded within coverage. Without the Affordable Care Act, people like me would struggle to pay for the care and medicines we need.

What would you say to those who view the Affordable Care Act negatively?

I find that most people who view the Affordable Care Act negatively feel that the new law gives the Federal Government "too much involvement" in healthcare. I believe the Federal Government needs to be involved in the healthcare industry to force the insurance and drug companies to lower the exorbitant rates they have been charging Americans for decades.

I believe President Obama is on the right track to reverse our country’s struggles after eight years of Republican leadership. I feel the President is helping to decrease unemployment, actively fight terrorism, and hold large corporations responsible for paying their fair share in taxes.

I am a student with an active lifestyle; I never know when I’m going to injure myself. I play disc golf about four days a week and have sprained my ankles more times than I can count.

The Affordable Care Act has impacted my life quite a bit, especially within the past 18 months. Beginning in August 2010, I served 10 months in the AmeriCorps National Civilian Community Corps (NCCC), a federally funded, team-based program for 18- to 24-year-olds. During those 10 months, I worked with several nonprofit organizations in the southern region, doing everything from building houses in Alabama to promoting a biodiesel fuel program in Louisiana.

The day before I left for my first project with Habitat for Humanity, I injured my knee. And then halfway through my term, I also tore a tendon in my foot. I needed surgery. Thankfully, I was 24 and ecstatic to learn that I was able to stay on my father’s health insurance plan thanks to the Affordable Care Act – which allows young adults to stay on their parents’ insurance until age 26.

In September 2010, I underwent arthroscopic knee surgery to repair my knee, followed by physical therapy. For my foot, I later wore an orthopedic boot, along with another round of physical therapy. But I didn’t let it stop me. My team did tornado relief work in Mississippi, and I was out there clearing debris – boot and all. Without a break on my medical bills, I probably would have had to drop out of the program and would not have been able to continue serving my country.

Since coming to the University of South Carolina in the fall 2011, I joined the disc golf team and have won first place in the women’s division at each of the collegiate tournaments I have competed in to date this school year. This April, I will be competing for the National Collegiate Women’s title. Without the proper care that health insurance has afforded me, none of this would have been possible.