As Congress wraps up its August recess and President Barack Obama and some of his administration push for universal health care, about 50 residents of Champaign and Urbana gathered at the Champaign County Veterans Memorial at Broadway and Main streets in Urbana on Wednesday night to participate in a vigil to support public health care.

According to a press release from MoveOn.org Political Action and the Campaign for Better Health Care, which organized the event, the vigil was meant to honor those who suffer under the current health care system and show that Illinois cannot afford to wait for health care reform.

“Everyday that we wait to pass health care reform with a public option, more Illinoisans are denied life-saving medical treatment, dropped from their insurance coverage or buried under medical bills,” said Robert Naiman, a local MoveOn member. “We’re calling on Congress to pass the health care reform we need as soon as they return to Washington. The longer we wait, the more people suffer.”

In the wake of health care activist Sen. Ted Kennedy’s death, vigil participants held signs reading, “Americans Need Health Insurance Reform” and “A Public Option Now.” Petitions and pamphlets were distributed and called for attendees to contact their legislators.

Many people shared personal stories.

“I have so many patients who are ones struggling to get insurance from private insurers being rejected over and over again because they have some problem that makes them uncoverable,” said Dr. Ellen Jacobsen, a dermatologist from Urbana. “My own son had a problem getting insurance because of a pre-existing condition and he was a very healthy 22-year-old.”

However, several people opposed the vigil, distracting attendees through protest.

One man ran by screaming “no socialism” in his opposition to the issue.

Urbana resident Doug Sanford said though he’s in the middle of the road on the issue, he’d probably be out there too if he didn’t have proper health care.

“I hate to think that with all the money they waste for things that don’t nearly have as much impact as health care would have that they would take more of our tax money and put it toward health care,” Sanford said.

This vigil is part of a five-week “Real Voices of Change” campaign, which has included events and rallies at congressional town halls and forums. Nearly 300 vigils were to be held nationwide on the same day, according to the press release.