Organizing for Action activists gathered outside the Illinois office of Republican Rep. Rodney Davis laughed at the congressman as he attempted to tell the story about his wife's fight with cancer.
Davis attempted to tell the protesters, who stood outside his office with signs protesting his vote for the American Health Care Act, about his experience with the health care system back when his wife was diagnosed with colon cancer, but from the beginning he was interrupted and laughed at by the group.
After being told by a woman about how great her experience with the health care system was in Canada, Davis wanted to explain his experience dealing with the Canadian health care system. Just as Davis started his story about his wife, he stopped once he heard groans from somebody in the crowd.
"Did I just hear an 'ugh'?" Davis said. "Wow. Did I just hear an 'ugh' as I'm about to talk about somebody who had cancer? That's offensive."
Davis began to tell his story again after the interruption.
"My wife when she was diagnosed 18 years ago," was all Davis was able to say before the man holding the camera, a staffer for Protect Our Care Illinois, audibly laughed and caused the congressman to again stop speaking.
After the laughter stop, Davis again continued to tell his story.
"When my wife was diagnosed 18 years ago, she was told by her primary care physician that it was in her head," Davis said. "But because she was a great advocate and was able to push for the right tests, she was able to get diagnosed, and had colon cancer, stage two."
"We were able to fire that primary care doctor, and we were able to go out and get a new one. He was from Canada, and you know what he told my wife? He said, in Canada we wouldn't have gotten to you until you were in stage four."
"That's my experience talking with somebody that used to practice in the Canadian medical system. And that's a personal experience that I have, which is why I prefer our system—because it saved my wife."
It is unclear what exactly about the cancer story made the protester with the camera laugh.
The full interaction, which was broadcast on Facebook Live by OFA, can be viewed below.